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.

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. 

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. 

Ohishi 10yo Brandy Cask

Ohishi 10yo Brandy Cask

Official bottling
Single grain - Kyushu 
Amber
44.1% ABV

Dram

Nose: Damson jam, magic marker, cookie dough, vanilla, raisins, brown paper. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, raisins, magic marker, vanilla, cooked rice, pear drops, magic marker. 
Finish: Short. Cooked rice, malted grains, coffee, sea salt, cornstarch. 

Comments: 

This is a rice whisky, meaning its spirit distilled from rice and wood aged, in a brandy cask it seems. Rice is a grain, and so this is a grain whisky. It’s got some rice and starch notes, but the distillate has essentially been taken over by the cask. It’s pleasant, but tastes like brandy.

Verdict:

I like this.

Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still

Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still

Official bottling 
Single pot still - Kyushu
Pale amber 
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, coconut cream, desiccated coconut, milk chocolate, orange peel, hints of blackberry jam. With water, orange peel, damson jam, milk chocolate, hints of vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, astringent, loosens, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Raisins, blackberry jam, damson jam, milk chocolate, desiccated coconut, hints of malted grains. With water, vanilla, brown paper, milk chocolate, damson jam, blackberry jam. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, damson jam, desiccated coconut, milk chocolate, hints of blackberry jam. 

Comments: 

Whisky from a shochu distillery and still. It’s sweet and light, tastes like liquid Bounty Bar, covered in blackberry jam. Beautifully delicate and intensely flavoured. Very good indeed. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Ontake Single Malt First Edition

Ontake Single Malt First Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber pink
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, rubber bands, fried eggs, orange peel, cinder toffee. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Fried eggs, yoghurt, strawberry laces, cinder toffee, honey, hints of cloves. 
Finish: Short. Raisins, cinder toffee, honey, strawberry laces. 

Comments: 

Rather sulphurous, for a sherried malt. The fried egg and cinder toffee notes are quite evident and dominate the flavours. It’s quite straightforward and simple.

Verdict:

I like this.

Mars Tsunuki 7th Anniversary Local Barley

Mars Tsunuki 7th Anniversary Local Barley

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber
55% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, apple juice, clay dust, cinnamon, hints of mint. With water, apple juice, malted grains, hints of menthol. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, honey, apple juice, strawberry jam, hoppy beer, hints of magic marker, hints of clay dust. With water, apple juice, clay dust, hoppy beer. 
Finish: Medium. Apple juice, hoppy beer, honey, strawberry jam, hints of magic marker. 

Comments: 

Very malty appley dram, just the sort of whisky I like. It’s a little bit dusty, perhaps a sign of age in my experience. It’s quite estery on the finish too. Lovely stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Osuzu Malt Chestnut Barrel Local Barley

Osuzu Malt Chestnut Barrel Local Barley

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber copper
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Strawberry jam, pears, vanilla, honey, starfruit, cream, hints of guavas. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Sandalwood, pears, starfruit, guavas, green tea, ginseng, hints of camphor. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, ginseng, pears, starfruit. 

Comments: 

Sweet and fragrant, very estery. Lots of floral, slightly woody notes too. Lots of bitter herbal notes on the finish. I do like this, but it’s probably not for everyone. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke Single Malt 2023 Limited Edition

Kanosuke Single Malt 2023 Limited Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Amber
59% ABV
Dram

Nose: Yoghurt, leather, cream, malted grains, hoppy beer, apple juice, marshmallows. With water, cinder toffee, apple juice, hoppy beer, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, cinder toffee, photocopy paper, cream, malted grains, fresh cut grass. With water, cinder toffee, apple juice, tyre rubber, hints of marshmallows. 
Finish: Long. Photocopy paper, cinder toffee, marshmallows, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

It says a lot about Kanosuke that this is one of the less good ones that I’ve had. It’s still quite glorious - rich creamy apple juice, lightly peated and smoked. Some slightly sulphurous rubber appears with a bit of water.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Mars Tsunuki 2022 Edition

Mars Tsunuki 2022 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Golden, hints of bronze
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, raisins, sandalwood, roast chicken, dried apricots, green tea, sea salt, lemon zest. With water, roast chicken, vanilla, dried apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Soy sauce, sandalwood, lemon zest, dried apricots, sultanas, hay, sea salt, malted grains, hints of gooseberries. With water, green tea, gooseberries, raisins, sandalwood, dark chocolate. 
Finish: Short. Green tea, malted grains, candle wax, roast chicken, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

My first dram from the other Mars distillery. It’s wonderful, lots of spice and floral notes, allows to a meaty chicken note. Lots of chocolate and more spice appear with a drop of water. Marvellous.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke New Born 8mo Feb 18/Nov 18

Kanosuke New Born 8mo Feb 18/Nov 18

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark gold
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, malted grains, honey, leather, cloves, musk, hints of roast chicken. With water, brass polish, wet stones, honey, apples, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, oily, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apples, popcorn, honey, leather, malted grains, dark chocolate, raisins, cloves. With water, leather, vanilla, strawberry laces, apples, malted grains. 
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, brass polish, popcorn, cloves, hints of musk. 

Comments: 

For an 8 month old whisky, the depth of flavour is remarkable. Huge whiffs of apple and popcorn offset sweet chocolatey notes. It’s excellent stuff, and as whisky generally tends to improve, the sky’s the limit for this one.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke Single Malt

Kanosuke Single Malt

Official bottling 
Single malt - Kyushu
Bright gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples,honey, burnt sugar, cinnamon, photocopy paper, golden syrup, white spirit. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apples, cinnamon, honey, orange peel, heather, vanilla ice cream, hints of photocopy paper. 
Finish: Long. Apples, golden syrup, heather, honey, white spirit. 

Comments: 

Lovely lovely whisky. Kanosuke is a revelation, one of the best of the crop of new distilleries (probably ranks alongside Dornoch). This one is appley and feinty, lots of complexity and balance despite its young age.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Kanosuke 4yo 2018/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Kyushu
Dark gold 
58% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, five spice powder, sultanas, nectarines, pears, leather, hints of roast chicken. With water, nectarines, leather, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, slippery, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, sultanas, nectarines, white pepper, hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, hints of pears. With water, honey, sultanas, hoppy beer, nectarines. 
Finish: Medium. Hoppy beer, fresh baked bread, sultanas, pears. 

Comments: 

Semi official release by Phil and Simon Thompson. Well, this is pretty good. For such young distillate, it’s got amazing complexity and a rather unique character. Like peaches steeped in beer. It’s not that widely available in the UK, and costs a pretty penny if you can find it, but it’s worth the price.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.