Nikka Taketsuru 17 yo

Nikka Taketsuru 17 yo

Official bottling
Blended malt
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola, vanilla, cream, maple syrup, strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, sticky, loosens up. 
Tasting: Sweet. Cola, vanilla, custard, blueberries, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Long. Cola, blueberries, orange peel, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Oooh. Fragrant, highly fruity, with a complex nose redolent of cola nut. Root beer float whisky? This might just be the first. Very, very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

George Dickel No 12

George Dickel No 12

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Tennessee
Amber 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Bananas, cream, caramel popcorn, orange peel, hints of lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, sticky, a little syrupy. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Caramel popcorn, bananas, cream, orange peel, hints of red peppers. 
Finish: Short. Salty, caramel popcorn, bananas, red peppers, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

Funny whiskey, this - light, yet sticky, sweet, yet a little savoury. Nice hints of salted caramel popcorn, with a vegetal, sweet finish. I can only think of red peppers when savouring the finish. How odd.

Verdict:

I like this.

Maker's 46

Maker's 46

Official bottling 
Single bourbon - Kentucky
Golden
47% ABV
Dram

Nose: Banana, brown paper, corn syrup, strawberries, cream, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, loose, smooth. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, orange peel, strawberries, cream, chocolate, hints of black tea. 
Finish: Short. Bananas, strawberries, corn syrup, chocolate, cream. 

Comments: 

Very tasty and fruity, for something that is less than 5 years old. This certainly packs a big, sweet, fragrant punch. Doesn't taste like 47%, loose and smooth, a nice little piece of Americana.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

SMWS G10.4 (Strathclyde 23 yo 1989/2013)

2013, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper

57.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oranges, pecans, banana, honey, hints of cedar and brown paper. With water, more savoury, brown paper, toast, coffee.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loose, expands, watery. 
Tasting: Sour. Oranges, pecans, banana, brown paper, toasted coconut. With water, saltier, dark chocolate, toast, coffee. 
Finish: Short. Toasted coconut, honey, hints of cedar. 

Comments: 

Fruity and light, pleasantly toasty undertones, like a kitchen baking desserts at Christmas. Quite bourbony, but all that time in the cask has sanded off the rough edges. Tasty, takes water well.

Verdict:

I like this.

 

SMWS 21.27 (Glenglassaugh 39 yo 1972/2012)

SMWS 21.27 (Glenglassaugh 39 yo 1972/2012)

2012, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Cough syrup
46.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Tobacco leaf, plums, pineapples, coffee, raisins, black tea. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thick, sticky, chewy.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Tobacco leaf, raisins, plums, coffee, chocolate, black tea, hints of maple syrup. 
Finish: Long. Tobacco leaf, raisins, coffee, chocolate. 

Comments: 

Gentle, yet complex and flavourful. This whisky is of great age, but wears it lightly. There are many, many layers in here, and it rewards quiet contemplation and time enough to allow it to develop fully.


Verdict:

I like this a lot.
 

Spirit of Asama 55%

Spirit of Asama 55%

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Red copper
55% ABV 
Dram

Nose: Cream, green tea, sulphur, raisins, liquorice, hints of grass and banana. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Bitter sour. Green tea, raisins, cream, liquorice, hints of grass. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, raisins, cream, grass, banana. 

Comments: 

Quite sulphury! But not all that unpleasant, which was quite unusual. The sulphur notes blend well with the astringent tea notes and aniseed notes. Unusual but good combination. Quite fruity, like a young bourbon, but with big hits of grassiness. This is a vatting of 77 Karuizawa casks, quite possibly all that's left of it!

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel 

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Pale gold
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, soy sauce, honey, lemon zest, strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, creamy, loose. 
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, honey, butterscotch, lemon zest, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Strawberries, chocolate, honey, hints of soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Hmmm... this was a surprise. Really creamy and full bodied, yet light and loose. Nice sweet fruity flavours, which, over time, developed into really strong chocolatey notes. Very, very delicious indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Suntory Hibiki 12 yo

Suntory Hibiki 12 yo

Official bottling
Blended malt
Golden
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, plums, mint, cherries, roses, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, mouth coating, expands. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Mint, cherries, cream, mangoes, honey, hints of roses. 
Finish: Medium. Mint, cherries, cream. 

Comments: 

Fragrant, floral and fruity. There are some vegetal green notes, which I interpret as minty flavours, which go very well indeed with the sweet sour, creaminess of the dram. Very pleasant blend, the grain whisky that goes in must be really quite old!

Verdict:

I like this.

Ichiro's Malt Chichibu 3 yo The Peated

Ichiro's Malt Chichibu 3 yo The Peated

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale gold
50.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, orange peel, chocolate, smoked ham, lemon juice. With water smoked ham, soy sauce, hints of garlic and onion. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, loose, watery. 
Tasting: Bitter sour. Smoke, tarred rope, orange peel, lemon juice, chocolate, balsamic vinegar, hints of soy sauce. With water, sweeter, slightly bitter, soy sauce, hints of palm sugar and garlic. 
Finish: Short. Lemon juice, smoke, orange peel, hints of smoked ham. 

Comments: 

A very young Chichibu. Seems to pick up where Hanyu left off - strong flavours of soy sauce and smoked ham. This particular whisky is quite sour, with sharp accents of orange peel and lemon juice. Smoky and remarkably complex for its age.


Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Hanyu 2000 Final Vintage

Hanyu 2000 Final Vintage

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Golden
59.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Oak, honey, soy sauce, smoked ham, cream, hints of caramel . 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, loose, watery, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Sweet salty. Honey, cream, salted caramel, condensed milk, peanuts, soy sauce. 
Finish: Medium. Cream, honey, soy sauce, hints of smoked ham. 

Comments: 

Big hits of soy sauce and smoked ham, this time quite salty. Offsetting those savoury notes are equally big hits of honey, condensed milk and cream. Nutty, sweet and salty. Yum yum, I could almost chew this whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Karuizawa 1982 Sherry Cask (for The Whisky Exchange)

Karuizawa 1982 Sherry Cask (for The Whisky Exchange)

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Deep red brown
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, blackberries, strawberries, chocolate, hints of cherry.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, loose, spicy.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Cream, chocolate, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, honey.
Finish: Long. Cherries, honey, hints of wet leaves.

Comments:

Incredible. Huge sweet and spicy flavours, redolent with red fruits. Very autumnal, with big hits of blackberries and in the background, an earthiness like the smell of wet leaves. This is fantastic whisky, worth every penny.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Ichiro's Malt Hanyu 15 yo

Ichiro's Malt Hanyu 15 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Pale gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, oak, salted caramel, soy sauce, hints of smoked ham. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, expands in the mouth. 
Tasting: Bitter. Honey, mint, soy sauce, oak, dried apricots, hints of bitter gourd. 
Finish: Short. Mint, salted caramel, honey. 

Comments: 

First ever Hanyu! Lots of salty and sweet notes, but surprisingly bitter in the mouth. But not unpleasant. There's a very unusual note in the flavour, which I interpret as bitter gourd (slightly earthy, fragrant bitterness). Very nice indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.