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. 

Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Official bottling
Single malt - Kansai
Amber orange
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, gooseberries, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, magic marker, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, gooseberries, white grapes, fresh baked bread, hints of white pepper. With water, malted grains, golden syrup, green tea. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask 1356. Rich, slightly tannic and very cereally. Water brings out even more cereal, alongside some floral notes and slightly caramelised sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kurayoshi Pure Malt

Kurayoshi Pure Malt

Matsui Shuzou 
Blend
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Mushrooms, yoghurt, malted grains, brown sugar, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Dark chocolate, leather, malted grains, mushrooms, yoghurt, lemon zest, cinnamon, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Fresh baked bread, raisins, dark chocolate, leather. 

Comments: 

Quite lactic and tart with earthy mushrooms and bitter dark chocolate. A very simple, straightforward dram, as befits an entry level dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazakura Kuyuri Peated Blended

Yamazakura Kuyuri Peated Blended

Official bottling
Single blend - Tōhoku
Pale gold

46% ABV

Dram

Nose: Smoke, peat, menthol, raisins, mint, malted grains, barley sugar, hints of yoghurt. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, warm, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Menthol, smoke, germolene, peat, honey, barley sugar, lemon zest, nutmeg. 
Finish: Medium. Apricots, menthol, honey, smoke, malted grains. 

Comments: 

I’d guess only the malt part of this is peated. There’s some quite sophisticated notes here - apricots, menthol, and plenty of malty sweetness too. A very pleasant dram.

Verdict:

I like this.

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.

Suntory Hibiki 21yo

Suntory Hibiki 21yo

Suntory
Blend
Pale gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, vanilla, raisins, malted grains, cherry blossom, roast chicken, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla, raisins, malted grains, leather, apples, cinnamon, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Leather, peat, smoke, apples, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Complex and luxurious, lots of cherry notes with sweet dried fruit, but also some smoky edges and on the finish, a distinct note of peat. Very layered and complicated, needs introspection.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Chichibu Distillery II (Ichiro’s Malt)

Chichibu Distillery II (Ichiro’s Malt)

Official bottling
Single malt - Kantō
Amber gold 
55.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, pears, fresh cut grass, white grapes, orange peel, barley sugar, nutmeg, mace. With water, pears, magic marker, lemon zest. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pears, orange peel, leather, barley sugar, malted grains, magic marker, ink, mace. With water, mace, pears, magic marker, leather. 
Finish: Medium. Pears, orange peel, malted grains, lemon zest, hints of smoke. 

Comments: 

Lots of lovely balanced flavours, mainly spices, pears and a big leather note that is quite characteristic of Chichibu in my opinion. Water brings out some estery flavours with more of that leather. This is actually from their new production facility, but they’ve maintained their character well. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Tsunuki Yakushima Aging 5yo 2016/2021 (bottled for LMDW)

Tsunuki Yakushima Aging 5yo 2016/2021 (bottled for LMDW)

Official bottling
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber brown
61% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, raisins, sandalwood, pears, dried apricots, malted grains, fresh baked bread. With water, raisins, winter melons, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, volatile, evaporates, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Oak chips, sandalwood, malted grains, dried apricots, barley sugar, raisins, pears, hints of winter melons. With water, malted grains, raisins, barley sugar. 
Finish: Long. Dried apricots, leather, raisins, barley sugar hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Cask 2069. Floral and herbal, very intensely flavoured with a hot, volatile mouthfeel. No doubt it’s due to the high ANv. Water brings out cereally sweetness with more raisins too. Quite interesting and somewhat typical of the Yakushima aging style.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi 5yo Red Wine Cask

Akashi 5yo Red Wine Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Kansai
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red wine, wet stones, raisins, pears, apples, red grapes, dried blueberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cloves, oak chips, damson jam, camphor, apples, hints of dried blueberries. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, apples, pears, oak chips, cloves. 

Comments: 

Active cask that masks most of the notes from the distillate. Jammy red fruit flavours, with a bitter herbal note of camphor. Was on the fence as to whether to add water but in the end didn’t.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022 Open Day 2022

Official bottling
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark amber red
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, figs, sandalwood, malted grains, cherries, black tea, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, golden syrup, raisins, cherries. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cola nuts, sandalwood, fresh baked bread, golden syrup, damson jam. With water, black tea, golden syrup, cherries, hints of marzipan. 
Finish: Long. Sandalwood, lohan fruit, black tea, raisins, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Cask 19462. Sweet and luscious, as is nearly every Kanosuke I’ve ever tried. But this one also has golden syrup and bread notes, probably from the bourbon cask. Very rich and intense.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Akashi Blue Label

Akashi Blue Label

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Sandalwood, orange peel, clay dust, lemon zest, peaches, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, volatile, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Sandalwood, fresh cut grass, sage, lemon zest, peaches, hay, hints of clay dust. 
Finish: Short. Demerara sugar, orange peel, hay, fresh cut grass, hints of peaches. 

Comments: 

Quite herbal but sweet and light, with intense peachy notes on the back palate. It also has some grassiness on the finish. A very interesting and layered dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Sakurao 4yo 2019/2023 for Whisky Magazine

Sakurao 4yo 2019/2023 for Whisky Magazine

Official bottling
Single malt - Chūgoku
Amber gold
51.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cloves, malted grains, raisins, oak chips, dark chocolate, sandalwood, coffee. With water, cocoa nibs, coffee, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, thickens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sandalwood, raisins, coffee, dark chocolate, cream, vanilla, toffee, honey, marmalade. With water, cocoa nibs, cinnamon, white pepper, cloves. 
Finish: Long. Marmalade, cream, vanilla, chocolate, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Cask 5276. Quite deeply sherried, lots of chocolate and raisins. There’s also sandalwood and vanilla, and water being sour pepper and more cloves. Young, slightly woody whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akkeshi 3yo 2018/2025

Akkeshi 3yo 2018/2025

Selection, Adelphi
Single malt - Hokkaido
Pale gold
57.7% ABV
Dram

Nose: Driftwood smoke, peat, white grapes, fresh cut grass, leather, charcoal ash, hints of photocopy paper. With water, soot, lemon juice, white grapes, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens slightly, slippery, hot. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Charcoal ash, driftwood smoke, peat, ginseng, fresh cut grass, leather, autumn leaves, lemon zest, hints of photocopy paper. With water, driftwood smoke, soot, autumn leaves, fresh cut grass. 
Finish: Short. Chillies, ginseng, charcoal ash, soot, autumn leaves. 

Comments: 

Smoky, salty, lots of grassy earthy notes. Water brings out a bit of throat catching soot, and more earthiness. It’s also quite herbal and citrusy. Rather good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Togouchi Sake Cask Finish

Togouchi Sake Cask Finish

Official bottling
Single blend - Chūgoku
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, orange peel, white grapes, mint, malted grains, magic marker. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Cooked rice, magic marker, mint, malted grains, vanilla, pears, orange peel. 
Finish: Short. Cooked rice, orange peel, molasses, magic marker. 

Comments: 

Well, sake casks do impart some rice notes. Also there’s vanilla and fruit, and some estery notes that remind me f magic marker. The malt still shines through.

Verdict:

I like this.

Togouchi Premium

Togouchi Premium

Official bottling
Single blend - Chūgoku
Bronze gold 
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, peaches, mushrooms, autumn leaves, molasses, orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. New plastic, bananas, mushrooms, autumn leaves, orange peel, molasses, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, orange peel, bananas, molasses. 

Comments: 

Fruity, very gentle, and slightly plasticky. This is from Sakurao distillery and is fully Japanese. It’s aged in the famous railway tunnel (Togouchi labelled whiskies are).

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazakura Peated Blended Whisky

Yamazakura Peated Blended Whisky

Official bottling 
Single blend - Tōhoku
Golden
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peanuts, peat, leather, molasses, malted grains, toffee, hints of sandalwood, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sour bitter. Malted grains, molasses, tyre rubber, toffee, peat, leather, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Short. Diesel exhaust, peat, leather, molasses, tyre rubber, hints of sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Malty, with a gentle lick of smoke on the nose. On the tongue it gets a bit more sulphurous, before fading to a short sharp finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Ichiro’s Malt Hanyu 15yo Final Vintage

Ichiro’s Malt Hanyu 15yo Final Vintage

Official bottling 
Single malt - East Honshu
Golden orange
46.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, walnuts, sea salt, Demerara sugar, peanuts, salt caramel, hints of caramelised onions. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands, airy, slightly volatile.
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Orange peel, salt caramel, walnut skins, Demerara sugar, lemon sweets, malted grains, maraschino cherries. 
Finish: Long. Lemon sweets, salt caramel, orange peel, Demerara sugar, walnut skins. 

Comments: 

Citrusy, sweet and slightly bitter. Utterly delicious, I never thought I would be able to have another Hanyu. Now tasting with the benefit of having drunk some Chichibu, I’m struck by how the latter is the heir to the former.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 3yo 2018/2022

Ghost Series, Hideo Yamaoka
Single malt - Kyushu
Pale gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, peaches, apricots, mint, sultanas, dried guava, gooseberries, hints of camphor. With water, sultanas, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of camphor. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, hot, astringent. 

Tasting:  Sour sweet. Magic marker, photocopy paper, dried guava, sandalwood, peaches, apricots, white pepper, hints of rosewood. With water, malted grains, dried guava, lemon juice, hints of rosewood. 
Finish: Long. Dried guava, magic marker, rosewood, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Fruity and jammy, lots of tropical fruit and estery notes. There’s a deep, woody floral fragrance as well, rosewood, a note I’ve never encountered in whisky before. Delicious stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

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. 

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

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

Nose: Chocolate, coffee, peat, smoke, tobacco leaf, raisins, toast, sea salt, walnut skins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sea salt, tyre rubber, coffee, roast chicken, raisins, tobacco leaf, walnut skins. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, chocolate, coffee, walnut skins, smoke. 

Comments: 

This was pricey, but it’s got the bitter sweet, fragrant, meaty notes that I like in Yamazaki. This is supposed to be fairly young, but it reminds me of some of the older Yamazakis I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.