Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Hakushu 1991/2005 Suntory Furudaru Shiage

Official bottling 

Single malt - Chūbu
Amber red
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, black pepper, leather, rancio, camphor, caramel, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Black pepper, raisins, honey, cherries, leather, burnt sugar, sandalwood, hints of smoke.
Finish: Medium. Black pepper, cherries, honey, leather, hints of soot. 

Comments: 

Highly complex and sweet, loads of warming spices and dried fruit. A little thin on the mouthfeel but that just makes it easier to drink. Probably the youngest “old-style” sherried whisky that I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake Single Malt

Mars Komagatake Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - Chūbu
Dark gold 
45% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, peaches, sea salt, vanilla, cinnamon, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Lemon zest, malted grains, white pepper, sandalwood, nori, peaches, hints of germolene. 
Finish: Long. Lemon zest, malted grains, peaches, apple juice. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fruity with a herbal incense-like character. There’s some savoury notes on the tongue and it ends in a slight hint of something antiseptic, almost earthy. A very decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hakushu Peated Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Hakushu Peated Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peat, roast beef, sea salt, damson jam, strawberries, artificial grape flavour, chocolate, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, thickens. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peat, smoke, honey, strawberries, sea salt, artificial grape flavour, chocolate, pencil erasers, hints of tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Peat, smoke, pencil erasers, roast beef, artificial grape flavour, peanuts. 

Comments: 

Gently peated, fruity (with a flavour of Fanta Grape), and quite meaty. I haven’t had a Hakushu for a while, theyre not easy to come by in this part of the world. This one was very good indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Mars Komagatake 2022 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden, hints of copper
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, yoghurt, white grapes, apple juice, malted grains, gooseberries, hints of allspice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, cool, turns airy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Yoghurt, cream, gooseberries, white grapes, lemon juice, malted grains, sandalwood, hints of allspice, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Sandalwood, malted grains, peaches, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

A fruity, spicy, Shinshu Mars. It’s also quite woody, but in a fragrant, incense-like way. It peters out a little though, the finish is less spicy and less intense than expected.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fuji Single Blended Whisky

Fuji Single Blended Whisky

Official bottling 
Single blend - West Honshu
Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cloves, black tea, cooked rice, cotton sheets, malted grains, vanilla custard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Sour cream, cooked rice, cotton sheets, chocolate, malted grains, hints of raisins. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, cotton sheets, cooked rice, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Both grain and malt whisky blended from a single source. Unfortunately it’s not very distinctive - slightly tart, a little feinty and with a lot of vanilla and chocolate notes. Decent dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fuji Gotemba Single Grain

Fuji Gotemba Single Grain

Offers bottling
Single grain - West Honshu 
Amber
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla custard, desiccated coconut, magic marker, corn syrup, white spirit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Vanilla sponge, brown sugar, magic marker, fresh baked bread, lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, vanilla, brown sugar, black tea. 

Comments: 

A decent, sippable single grain, lots of cereal and bread notes, along with the obligatory vanilla. It’s entry level for sure, but rarely seen in the UK.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Mars Komagatake IPA Cask Finish 2021

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Sunshine yellow
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Dried pears, persimmons, honeysuckle, peaches, white grapes, aluminium foil, matches, sapodilla. With water, hoppy beer, cough syrup, honeysuckle, sapodilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thick, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, matches, aluminium foil, persimmons, dried pears, fresh baked bread, white grapes. With water, honeysuckle, hoppy beer, malted grains, persimmons. 
Finish: Long. Sapodilla, white grapes, fresh baked bread, persimmons. 

Comments: 

Wow - refill bourbon cask aged malt, already richly fruity and malty, finished in a beer cask. It’s stunning. Honeyed and luscious, the fruit notes sit over malt and spicy little sulphurous pinpricks. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fuji Gotemba 17yo Small Batch

Fuji Gotemba 17yo Small Batch

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber 
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, peanuts, pear drops, vanilla, orange peel, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Magic marker, yoghurt, pear drops, orange peel, lemon zest, honey, sultanas. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, magic marker, pear drops, hints of white pepper. 

Comments: 

Quite estery, reminiscent of nail varnish, with a good, enjoyable, floral overtone. It’s light and refreshing as well, wearing its age lightly.

Verdict:

I like this.

Fuji Single Malt

Fuji Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, photocopy paper, toffee, cooked rice, green apples. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, photocopy paper, lemon zest, green apples, malted grains, hints of cream. 
Finish: Short. Cream, honey, malted grains, photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

Quite light, a little creamy. The flavours are muted and not very intense. A very gentle, entry level malt.

Verdict:

I like this.

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Komagatake 2021 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Camphor, honey, overripe peaches, mangoes, orange peel, hints of bananas. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, airy, turns watery. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Honey, fresh baked bread, orange peel, mangoes, nutmeg, hints of burnt sugar. 
Finish: Short. Burnt sugar, nutmeg, lemon zest, orange peel, hints of camphor. 

Comments: 

Earthy camphor covers a heap of tropical fruit, mainly mangoes and bananas. Plenty of spices too, dominated by nutmeg. It’s good and unbalanced, in a good way. Lots of layers with waves of flavour.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Shizuoka Prologue K

Shizuoka Prologue K

Single malt - West Honshu
Dark dusty gold
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, chestnuts, white grapes, white pepper, green tea, lemon zest, hints of vanilla. With water, white pepper, peaches, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon zest, peaches, nashi pears, apricots, green tea, hints of rose water. With water, apricots, pears, rhubarb and custard sweets. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, green tea, lemon zest, white grapes, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Ooh. Fragrant and fruity, lots of peach and apricot, and a nice oily, mouth feel. This is delicious, and it will get better as it grows older. This is what I imagine young Karuizawa would have tasted like, and of course it’s from the same still. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Shizuoka Prologue W

Shizuoka Prologue W

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu

Bright gold 
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cucumbers, kiwifruit, greengages, white grapes, green tea, chestnuts, hints of honey. With water, greengages, nashi pears, chestnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, oily, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, sandalwood, white grapes, fresh baked bread, black pepper, green tea. With water, black pepper, chestnuts, sandalwood. 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, black pepper, white grapes, hints of green tea. 

Comments: 

Earthy whisky, young of course, but also complex and fragrant. It’s not as fruity as I thought, instead it’s malty and has some savoury notes. Those are some interesting things that Shizuoka are doing with the various stills they have.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake Shinshu Aging 2021 Edition

Mars Komagatake Shinshu Aging 2021 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Dark gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roses, raspberries, vanilla, plums, strawberries, artificial grape flavour, hints of malted grains. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Strawberries, artificial grape flavour, raspberries, fresh baked bread, cinnamon, cloves, toast. 
Finish: Medium. Coffee, toast, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Very floral, slightly odd whisky. There’s fruit and spice, but it’s also a cheap grape soda drink. There’s a nice oily mouthfeel as well, and it all builds towards a bitter, cereally finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Single Cask 6yo 2015/2021

Mars Komagatake Single Cask 6yo 2015/2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Bright gold
63% ABV
Dram

Nose: Jasmine, white grapes, lemon sweets, toast, green apples, apricot jam. With water, malted grains, toast, green apples, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Jasmine, lemon sweets, white pepper, apricot jam, kiwifruit, green apples, malted grains. With water, toast, vanilla, green apples, apricot jam. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, white pepper, apricot jam, jasmine, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Cask 3225. Floral and jammy, with complex layers of cereal and toast leading to a long bitter finish. Excellent whisky that does not show its high ABV at all, it’s quite drinkable neat. Amazing dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Shizuoka Pot Still K

Shizuoka Pot Still K

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Brass
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lychees, sultanas, brass polish, honey, prunes, gingerbread, hints of leather, hints of bay leaves. With water, bay leaves, honey, sultanas. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, hot, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Lychees, lemon curd, brass polish, honey, marmalade, prunes, hints of white pepper. With water, bay leaves, marmalade, honey, sultanas. 
Finish: Long. Green tea, prunes, white pepper, lemon curd, bay leaves. 

Comments: 

Shizuoka, distilled in the old Karuizawa still. It’s excellent, sweet and fruity, with the richness of Armagnac aged prunes, as well as an unusual herbal leathery flavour reminiscent of fresh bay leaves. Very promising whisky, and although expensive I can see why people pay up for it.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Komagatake Yakushima Aging 2021

Mars Komagatake Yakushima Aging 2021

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Pink gold
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, burnt sugar, bananas, molasses, orange juice, plums, hints of camphor. With water, orange juice, pear drops, smoke, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slippery, slightly fizzy. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Leather, smoke, camphor, orange juice, vanilla sponge, peat, smoked bacon, hints of raisins. With water, smoked bacon, sea salt, leather, lemon zest, hints of orange juice. 
Finish: Long. Leather, camphor, smoked bacon, raisins, plums. 

Comments: 

Mars distillate, aged in a cave by the sea. Well, it’s picked up some maritime character. It’s meaty and fruity, with a bitter, slightly sulphurous edge. It’s savoury and herbal, with a lovely long smoky finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Fujikai 10yo

Fujikai 10yo

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Amber, hints of copper 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, photocopy paper, honey, green tea, walnut skins, oak chips, white pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Peat, leather, honey, white grapes, walnut skins, cedar, sea salt, oak chips, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, oak chips, leather, malted grains, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

A very weird, strange whisky. Lots of woody and feinty flavours, but not a lot of balancing sweet notes. It’s a bit like chewing on a piece of oak wrapped in a strip of leather.

Verdict:

Not bad. 

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey

Mars Kasei Blended Whiskey 

Official bottling 
Single blend - East Honshu
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, malted grains, hints of raisins. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, tingly, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sour. Orange peel, yuzu, green tea, vanilla, fresh baked bread, sea salt, hints of honey. 
Finish: Short. Sea salt, fresh baked bread, malted grains, vanilla, hints of brown paper. 

Comments: 

Entry level bottling from Shinshu Mars. Quite citrusy, fairly good level of complexity for the ABV and the price point. The grain component makes it a bit cereally, and the flavour notes aren’t that well defined.

Verdict:

I like this.

Hakushu 18yo

Hakushu 18yo

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Copper
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, sultanas, pine needles, tinned peaches, honeydew melons. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, cool, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pine needles, white grapes, birch wood, tinned peaches, autumn leaves, hints of lemon zest. 
Finish: Short. White grapes, green tea, marmalade, lemon zest. 

Comments: 

An old Hakushu expression, now discontinued. I missed it the first time around, and was lucky to find some again. It's characteristically herbal, alpine even, allied with lots of fruit notes. Perhaps a bit understrength - I would have appreciated a higher ABV. But a real treat even so.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Mars Komagatake Shinanotanpopo

Official bottling
Single malt - East Honshu
Bronze
52% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, blueberry jam, orange peel, peanuts, nashi pears, toffee, hints of toast, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, camphor, black tea, honey, orange peel, hints of peat. 
Finish: Short. Nashi pears, peanuts, leather, lemons. 

Comments: 

There's some quite old whisky in this, maybe even 30 year old stuff, or I'm no judge. Well, perhaps I'm not at that - but this stuff is brilliant. Herbal and fruity, some smoke, leathery notes that might be old bottle effect, it's marvellous.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.