Japan Archives - Whisky a Day

Whisky #533: Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Japanese Whisky

June 15, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Mars Maltage Cosmo Blended Malt Japanese Whisky. Kuyshu Island, Japan. Tasted at Chin Chin (Melbourne), $26.

Colour: Red neon glow.

Nose: Burnt caramel, floral, melting butter & honey. My trusty whisky tasting sidekick AB also got some butterscotch, albeit not as sweet.

Palate: Zesty lemon, black pepper, caramel, woody ice-cream sticks.

Finish: A drying, sharp finish at the front of the palate. Spicy pepper and oak notes in the fade.

Comments: A bit of a split personality this one; the nose is all sweet and buttery, but then the palate and finish are quite sharp and citrusy. A pleasant drop to get the palate warmed up for the long night ahead!

Whisky #532: Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky

June 14, 2018 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Nikka Date Blended Japanese Whisky. Sendai, Japan. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Tokyo Bird, $24.

Colour: Bright golden toffee.

Nose: Like ripping open a fresh pack of teriyaki beef jerky…though maybe that’s also because I’m sat in a fantastic izakaya bar here in Sydney (Tokyo Bird) with plenty of tasty morsels being grilled in the kitchen. A bit of time in the glass gives off some tropical fruit and lemon marshmallows.

Palate: Fresh oak forward. Lightly toasted bread with a hint of honey. Pepper and cloves later.

Finish: Cane, sugar cane, charcoal, charred meat. A salty, woody tang to finish.

Comments: The Nikka Date (pronounced “dah-teh”) is a blend of malt and grain whiskies distilled through the Coffey stills at Nikka’s Miyagikyo distillery. It’s got much more character than most blends, a bit of punch that belies it’s lowish 43% ABV.

It has got layers upon layers, and in that respect it’s quite similar in character to the Nikka Coffey Malt that I reviewed quite early on in the Whisky a Day journey back at Whisky #245. It’s not seamless and tends to jump around with the flavours a little, but with time in the glass it’s like the whisky decides that it’s time to peel back another of the seven veils to reveal something new.

Whiskies #480-483: Japanese Whisky Showdown

June 13, 2017 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Whiskies #480-483: Japanese Whisky Showdown.

I love it when friends travel overseas and bring back a bucketload of booze. My good friends Adam and Maria recently trekked to Japan and kindly shared this haul when I visited them on the weekend. Given it’s often a challenge to get Adam to shout his mates a drink at the best of times, this was an offer I wasn’t going to pass up!

Whisky #480: Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Single Malt Whisky No. 323317. Japan. ABV: 40%.

Colour: Pale straw, light amber.

Nose: Oaky, cane wicker. Sharp, not sweet or creamy.

Palate: Initial impression is that it’s much sweeter than the nose suggests. A very thin mouthfeel on the palate. Sweet and lemony, the mid-palate gets the joy – like a bullet shooting down the centre of your tongue.

Finish: Very short and crisp; not mouth coating. A slight citrus tang as it fades.

Comments: Maria thought it was an entry level whisky, which given they’ve just come back from tasting some amazing whiskies at the Yamazaki distillery and at bars all over Japan (e.g. Hibiki 30 Year Old), it’s hardly a surprise that this one doesn’t quite excite. For Adam, after a few sips it was growing on him, “I could sit here and have half a dozen of them.”

Whisky #481: Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select Blended Japanese Whisky. Japan. ABV: 43%.

Colour: Pale caramel.

Nose: Hokey pokey ice cream.

Palate: Earthy caramel. Buttery toffee; a rich caramel that keeps building in intensity.

Finish: Honey on toast.

Comments: For me, this was a refreshing step up in flavour and sweetness. Nothing too outrageous going on here, just a dangerously drinkable pretty straightforward whisky with plenty of flavour but not much punch.

Whisky #482: The Nikka 12 Year Old Blended Whisky. Japan. ABV: 43%.

Colour: Bright gold.

Nose: Roasted figs and panna cotta.

Palate: Sesame seed honey crisps. A bigger mouthfeel than the Hibiki. Adam comments that “it’s a bit sweeter, feels more solid.”

Finish: Slightly leathery, salty notes that emerge as the sweetness fades. Delicious, great balance too. Medium to long finish, blackcurrant lolly flavours – like a blackcurrant Soothers’ lozenge but without the menthol.

Comments: This was a step up again, a little more nuanced than the Hibiki. There’s a lot more going on here flavour-wise for you to sit back and enjoy.

Whisky #483: Kirin Fuji-Sanroku Tarujuku 50 Blended Japanese Whisky. Japan. ABV: 50%.

Colour: Dark amber; “an amber mist” according to Adam. Maybe his eyesight is just a bit foggy after the fourth whisky…

Nose: Adam picks up some vanilla cheesecake aromas – now he’s starting to get the hang of this whisky tasting caper! Well done mate. For me, it’s like opening a packet of Allen’s strawberries & cream lollies.

Palate: Caramel popcorn. Rich, oaty sweet notes – think brown sugar dissolved on a hot bowl of porridge.

Finish: A gentle, rich brown sugary fade. Chocolate biscuits as it fades.

Comments: For some, the prospect of a 50% ABV whisky can be a bit daunting – will it burn my throat? Will it be like accidentally having too much wasabi? Will I be able to taste anything? In the case of this drop, the Kirin Fuji-Sanroku Tarujuku 50 does none of these. It’s rich, syrupy and luscious – and definitely the standout whisky of this Japanese whisky showdown.

Whisky #405: Suntory Crest 12 Year Old Blended Whisky

April 2, 2016 by Whisky a Day 2 Comments

Suntory Crest 12 Year Old Blended Whisky. Osaka, Japan. ABV: 43%. Tasted at Tokyo Bird, $22.

Colour: My good mate Damo (his dram with the ball of ice) described it as topaz. When asked if he would say a lustrous, sparkling topaz, his response was “Only if you blow bubbles in it.”

Nose: Buttery; caramelised figs, some creamy sherry notes. Very soft and velvety.

Palate: Burnt caramel, quite meaty. Savoury almost but counterbalanced with sweetness, like caramelised onions cooked on the BBQ with balsamic. Smooth entry, medium bodied.

Finish: A drying finish with gentle spice and cinnamon sugar; a long, slow gradual fade.

Comments: It’s Suntory time, and I like it! A lot more depth of character than other blends, particularly some Japanese blends. I’d be keen to get my hands on a bottle of this to add to the collection. It was my first time checking out Tokyo Bird in Surry Hills, very impressed with their range of Japanese whisky.

I’ll leave you with this gem, a Suntory Crest ad from 1992. If a whisky gets Sean Connery’s tick of approval, it must be decent…or perhaps the marketing budget had deep pockets. He doesn’t say a word, just a cock of the left eyebrow and a knowing head nod to your Doberman are all that’s required to indicate your enjoyment apparently. Gold.

Whiskies #382-387: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Winter Tasting

August 13, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Whiskies #382-387: Scotch Malt Whisky Society Winter Tasting. Royal Automobile Club, Sydney. $85.

Since Whisky a Day only recently located from Perth to Sydney a month ago, the first SMWS tasting event was locked into the calendar. Excellently hosted by the SMWS Australian Cellar Master Andrew Derbidge, last night’s tasting was an overview of six of the Society’s latest releases.

Whisky #382: 64.54 Sweet and Tart, Subtle and Delicate. 10 year old bottling from Mannochmore Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 56.3%.

Colour: Pale straw.
Nose: Pine needles, wood chips, and sherbet.
Palate: Tangy lemon, peppery spice, with some cheesecake flavours to round off.
Finish: White pepper with a long, salty tingle and generous warmth around the mouth. Like the sensation of sucking the lemon after you’ve just downed a shot of good tequila. The oily warmth lingers longer than the flavours, but in a comforting way.

Whisky #383: 35.133 Mediterranean Maharaja goes Americana. 20 year old bottling from Glen Moray Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 55.8%.

Colour: Rich honey.
Nose: It’s a very bourbon-ish nose which hits you immediately. Fennel and spiced mead; sweet oaky notes with some time in the glass.
Palate: Spiced honey, cocoa, sultanas and spiced fruit toast.
Finish: Quite a short, drying finish with some savoury biscuit notes.

Whisky #384: 46.25 Soft, Elegant and Intensely Creamy. 21 year old bottling from Glenlossie Distillery. Speyside, Scotland. ABV: 46.4%.

Colour: Pale apple juice.
Nose: Fresh apples in a wet hessian sack. Ok, so I got fresh apples and I separately got some wet hessian notes, but seeing as the tasting was being conducted in the Royal Automobile Club where anoraks abound, I thought I’d better combine the two descriptors and really turn the wankiness up to 11. My eminent whisky tasting neighbour Dave picked up notes like walking past a makeup counter through a department store.
Palate: Baked pears, some sweet caramelised flavours too. A cool, creamy mouthfeel; reminds me of fruit salad atop a freshly baked pavlova.
Finish: Passionfruit syrup and vanilla ice-cream. Very light and delicate.
Comments: This was my favourite whisky if the night. Quite a low ABV for a cask strength bottling, but it’s just so easy to drink and keeps begging you back for more. So much so that I ordered a bottle so I could do precisely that.

Whisky #385: 119.14 Raspberry Imperial Stout. 11 year old bottling from Yamazaki Distillery. Japan. ABV: 53.9%.

Colour: Wow. Deep rich toffee. I started enjoying this one long before I picked up the glass.
Nose: It’s a huge sherry bomb, simply divine. It reminds me a lot of the nose you get from some Glendronach malts, particularly the Glendronach Allardice 18 year old and Glendronach 21 year old. Though it’s more intense and syrupy than you’ll find say on the Glendronach 15 year old.
Palate: Syrupy Christmas cake spice, oily mouthfeel. Yes that sounds quite stereotypical for a malt matured in ex sherry casks, but boy is this a fine example of the style. An amazing drop. Some dark chocolate and cherry notes come through too.
Finish: Paradoxically for a syrupy whisky, the finish is quite drying. Huge legs on the glass.
Comments: In a blind tasting, I would have picked this to be a Speyside malt as it is a fine example of the sherried malts so often produced from that region. Yamazaki have done brilliant work with this one.

Whisky #386: 66.66 Ginger Makes Fred Smile. 10 year old bottling from Ardmore Distillery. Highlands, Scotland. ABV: 61.9%.

Colour: Pale translucent copper; almost a rosey tinge.
Nose: Flame grilled steak, salted caramel and smoked salmon.
Palate: Smoked ham hock and beef jerky. It’s smokey with a hint of fruity sweetness; reminds me of a slice of juicy pineapple on the BBQ.
Finish: Super long and sumptuous.
Comments: Matured in a first fill white wine hogshead, which is both quite unusual but also an amazing choice for this malt. I enjoyed it so much I ordered a bottle on the spot.

Whisky #387: 3.234 Scallops Cooked on a Puffer Shovel. 16 year old bottling from Bowmore Distillery. Islay, Scotland. ABV: 57.5%.

Colour: Pure gold.
Nose: Caramel popcorn is the first thing that hits. Orange chocolate and soft straw notes too – like a handful of straw thrown on a campfire.
Palate: Salty blackcurrant pastilles and caramelised bacon. Hmmm, bacon… *drool*.
Finish: A building meaty saltiness with a very long, mouthwatering finish.
Comments: An Islay malt from Bowmore that has been perfectly matched to a refill sherry butt to produce those delicious caramelised meaty flavours. Though I think the nose is the winner here, simply divine. Some would say that there’s lots of smoke here both on the nose and on the palate, and they’d be 100% right…for me the smoke is there in droves, but it somehow takes a back seat to the amazing array of other flavours and aromas that are layered here.

Whisky #371 – White Oak Distillery Tokinoka Blended Whisky

June 25, 2015 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

White Oak Distillery Tokinoka Blended Whisky. Akashi, Japan. ABV: 40%. Tasted at Must Wine Bar.

Colour: Light yellowy amber.

Nose: Slight prickle; straw & faint toffee notes.

Palate: A very cool entry. Toasted malty flavours.

Finish: Dry, grassy, some bamboo shoot afternotes. Quite short.

Comments: Not all that inspiring. Apparently Tokinoka means “fragrance of time” in Japanese – unfortunately for me I’d rather spend my time nosing something with a bit more body and character.

Whisky #363: Suntory Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve Single Malt Japanese Whisky

December 31, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve Single Malt Japanese Whisky. Hokuto, Yamanashi, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Kings Cross Hotel, $10.50.

Colour: Light maple syrup.

Nose: Very light, a little floral. Somewhat ill-defined. My mate Heshy described it as like a bad rainbow over Bondi Beach. I have no idea what he’s banging on about there!

Palate: Light wafer biscuit. Slightly salty honeycomb. Soft hay-like flavours.

Finish: Short to medium finish.

Comments: Nothing outstanding. It’s ok, but fairly middling.

Whisky #276: Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky

November 4, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky. Osaka, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $120 (375mL bottle).

Colour: Rich, dark amber.

Nose: Very soft straw, caramel and toffee notes.

Palate: Very delicate; buttery toffee, vanilla, a hint of cane – super smooth.

Finish: Such a gentle fade, like a piece of silk lightly touching your skin.

Comments: Outstanding. A huge step up from both the Hibiki 12 and the Hibiki 17. I’m quite confident that I can name this as the best blend I’ve had so far this year, a shame it’s only a half-size bottle!

Whisky #268 – White Oak Akashi Blended Japanese Whisky

October 26, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

White Oak Akashi Blended Japanese Whisky. Akashi, Japan. ABV: 40.0%. Tasted at home, $15 (500mL bottle).

Colour: Orangey gold. Starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel with new ways to describe different hues of gold.

Nose: Straw and bamboo notes. Is that because it’s a Japanese whisky that I’m associating bamboo? Debatable, but I’m sticking to it.

Palate: Cooked vegetables, like a vegetable stew. Dry hay-like flavours, some dry white wine notes too.

Finish: Short finish, very dry. Dry is the word of the day.

Comments: It was certainly a bargain – I have to admit that when I ordered it I misread the size of the bottle. For $15 I was expecting a 50mL bottle, so I was pleasantly surprised when my order arrived and it was a 500mL bottle! It’s ok, a little too dry and thin for my liking really.

Whisky #254 – Suntory Royal Blended Whisky

September 29, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Royal Blended Whisky. Japan. ABV: 43%. Tasted at home, $7 (50mL miniature bottle).

Colour: Dark caramel.

Nose: Musty oak, a bit grassy. Some faint aromas that almost remind you like you’ve just opened a bag of plain corn chips.

Palate: Velvety smooth entry, it slithers its way around your palate. Very oily mouthfeel, quite a cooling sensation initially before the heat starts to build. Soft woody notes, a touch of sweetness.

Finish: Juicy, like chewing on a long fresh piece of grass.

Comments: It’s Suntory time, and I quite like this one actually. Wasn’t quite sure what to expect, particularly being a blend; ultimately very drinkable.

Whisky #245 – Nikka Coffey Malt Japanese Whisky

September 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Nikka Coffey Malt Japanese Whisky. Sendai, Japan. ABV: 45.0%. Tasted at Helvetica, $28.

Colour: Light amber.

Nose: Fresh oak, sawdust, hay-like notes along with some sweetness.

Palate: Much drier than I was expecting – from the nose I had thought it might by a bit richer and maybe a little syrupy.

Finish: Dried cocoa, liquorice. Interesting that there’s a few more sweet notes emerging in the finish compared to when it first enters the mouth. Flavours and a gentle heat seem to build for a while before the eventual fade.

Comments: A real chameleon of a whisky; it’s constantly revealing more layers of complexity with each sniff, each mouthful. Rich yet delicate, it’s a whisky of contrasts. Much like a girl playing hard to get when you’re first dating, it’s a whisky that beckons you back for another encounter or five to truly get to know it.

Whisky #240 – Nikka Taketsuru 21 Year Old Pure Malt Japanese Whisky

September 18, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Nikka Taketsuru 21 Year Old Pure Malt Japanese Whisky. Hokkaido, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at home, $35 (180mL bottle).

Colour: Toffee.

Nose: Cane, straw.

Palate: Toasted malt, vanilla, brown sugar. Oily mouthfeel. Great depth of flavour.

Finish: Long tingle around the lips and mouth. Sweetness gently fades, ends up being a dryish finish.

Comments: A very well-balanced whisky, great complexity and full of flavour. Delicious.

Whisky #199 – Ichiro’s Malt, Double Distilleries Vatted Malt

August 19, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Ichiro’s Malt, Double Distilleries Vatted Malt (Hanyu and Chichibu distilleries). Japan. ABV: 46%. Tasted at Canton Lounge.

Colour: Yellow gold.

Nose: Alcohol tingle up the nostrils, grass seed notes.

Palate: Peppery hay-like flavours. Quite a dry mouthfeel.

Finish: Spicy; quite a bit more heat than I expected from a drop at 46%.

Comments: A bit more bite than I expected. This is an interesting drop, it’s a combination of whisky from both Hanyu and Chichibu distilleries in Japan, vatted and bottled at Chichibu in 2010. Interesting, but not outstanding.

Whisky #169 – Super Nikka Vatted Pure Malt – Genshu

July 21, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Super Nikka Vatted Pure Malt – Genshu. Japan. ABV: 55.5%. Tasted at Canton Lounge – $0 courtesy of the house.

Colour: Red-lantern-affected gold.

Nose: Quite sweet; a bit like a freshly varnished timber floor.

Palate: Much bigger to taste than the nose suggests. Sweet woody notes.

Finish: Quite long; sweet pepper aftertaste. It’s almost like an Islay whisky but without the big ashy peat flavours.

Comments: Reminds me a bit of a Kilchoman; quite young and raw, full flavours but with only a hint of smoke. Much less than Kilcohman offerings though.

Whisky #147: Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky

July 11, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky. Osaka, Japan. ABV: 43.00%. Tasted at Old Faithful Bar & BBQ, $15.

Colour: Honied gold.

Nose: Not an overly powerful nose, perhaps unsurprising for a 12 year old blend. Subtle oak, honey & vanilla.

Palate: Smooth entry, mild flavour intensity. Subtle oak & sweetness again.

Finish: Short-medium.

Comments: It’s quite mild, a little too mild for my liking. It’s very drinkable, but just doesn’t have the depth or flavour complexity that I really like in a whisky. I prefer the Hibiki 17 year old which has more going for it flavour-wise, but even that’s a little too smooth and thin for me. If you’re after a good Japanese blend, I would recommend you try the Nikka From the Barrel instead, top drop.

Whisky #136 – Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt, On The Way

July 1, 2014 by Whisky a Day Leave a Comment

Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt, On The Way. Chichibu, Japan. ABV: 58.5%. Tasted at Canton Lounge, $19.

Colour: Pale straw.

Nose: Grassy, fresh lemons, woody notes. After some time in the glass there’s almost some chocolate-like notes.

Palate: Pow – full flavour hit, intense and complex. Bit of a salted golden syrupy flavour, dry mouthfeel, quite salty yet a hint of sweetness. Big alcohol warmth.

Finish: Lingering salty tingle on the end of the tongue, almost like a popping candy sensation. Very dry finish.

Comments: Surprising flavour complexity from such a young (5 year old) whisky.