Best $20 Japanese Whiskies

G’day,
I recently did a series of video’s on YouTube on the best $20 Japanese Whiskies. These were made up of whiskies from Suntory, Nikka and Mars. You can check the out here(Nikka), here(Suntory) and here(Mars).
Kampai
Brian

Yoichi 2000’s Single Malt 57%abv

G’day,
In my latest YouTube video here I review the Yoichi 2000’s Single Malt 57%abv. Never bought a bottle when they were released and hadn’t tasted up until now. After tasting do I now wish I’d bought a bottle? Is it better than the Miyagikyo 2000’s Single Malt? Let’s find out!
Kampai
Brian

Miyagikyo 2000’s Single Malt 57%abv – Whisky Review

G’day, In my latest Youtube video here I review the Miyagikyo 2000’s Single Malt 57%abv. Never bought a bottle when they were released and hadn’t tasted up until now. After tasting, do I now wish I’d bought a bottle? Let’s find out!
Kampai Brian

Coming Soon – The Yoichi Nikka Bar & Restaurant Bangkok Review

G’day,
I’m heading to Borneo for a week of wildlife photography & videography. On Sunday the 16th July Australia time there should be a new video on my YouTube channel where I review the Yoichi Nikka Bar Restaurant Bangkok. Home page for the bar reads – Our store is a sister store of the popular long-established store “THE NIKKA BAR” in Sapporo, Hokkaido (Susukino). You can follow up on the channel here.
Kampai
Brian

7 Day’s of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whiskies – Ep.7 I Rank Them from Last to First Place

G’day,
In my latest YouTube Video here, I do the wrap up video for 7 Day’s of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whiskies and rank them from last to first place.
Kampai
Brian

7 Days of Nikka Pure Malt Whiskies

Hey friends,
I’m about half way through my YouTube reviews of the Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt “standard” range, No Age Statement through to 35 Year Old. You can check them on my channel here.
Kampai
Brian

Yoichi Grande Single Malt 2022 48%abv

Hi friends,
In this video I review the Yoichi Grande Single Malt 2022. Are these no age statement Nikka Whiskies worth the money being asked? How does this one stack up against other Nikka Special Editions? Lets find out!
Kampai
Brian

Miyagikyo Grande Single Malt Limited Edition 2022 48%abv

Hi friends,
In my latest YouTube video here, I review the Miyagikyo Grande Single Malt Limited Edition 2022. Are these no age statement Nikka Whiskies worth the money being asked. Lets find out!
Kampai
Brian

Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask Whisky – What Does It Taste Like?

Hi guys,
My latest YouTube video has dropped here, where I discuss does maturing whisky in Japanese Mizunara Oak Casks give the whisky unique flavours? If so, what do they taste like? I’ve tried a number, either finished or fully matured. What do you think? Does Mizunara Oak add something unique that you think stands out from whisky matured in other types of Oak?
Kampai
Brian

Nikka From The Barrel Review – The Best Bang For Ya Buck (Not) Japanese Whisky!

G’day everyone,
Click here to watch my latest YouTube video. I’m reviewing, actually re reviewing, that absolute classic from Nikka, Nikka From The Barrel. NFTB is one of the first whiskies I bought in Japan in 2009 and have bought and drunk many more bottles since. I talk a little about the history, the fact that it is not classed as Japanese Whisky by The Japanese Whisky and Liqueurs Makers Association, some tasting notes and why it is still great bang for ya buck.
Don’t forget to hit the Like, Subscribe and Notification buttons as I’ll be uploading new content every week.
Kampai
Brian

The Japanese Whisky Review Is Now On YouTube!

Hi everyone,
Happy New Year! New Year and new beginnings, The Japanese Whisky Review is now on YouTube. There will be news, history/facts, opinions, all my tastings and more! Whenever new content is uploaded I will announce it here on the Blog.
Here is the current URL for the Channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZyGSV-Art-wXfO1K9NAkDQ
I need to 100 Subs before I can created a unique URL so please do me a solid and Like, Subscribe and hit the Notification bell as I will be uploading new content every week.
Kampai
Brian

Miyagikyo Single Malt Peated Limited Edition 2021 48%abv

Nose: Noses somewhat like a Yoichi. Earthy peat(very Yoichi), blueberries(very Yoichi), ripe peaches. Worn in denim, minerals. There’s a soft perfume note that floats over the top. Some heated copper and sulphur that I found on the palate of the Yoichi Non-Peated with water added.
Palate: This is where this whisky really starts to shine. Rich and oily mouth feel. Earthy peat, milk chocolate, cafe latte, toffee, honey, vanilla sponge cake, pepper, cashews, butter. Some peach sherbet with water added. Full bodied.
Finish: Earthy, oily, oaky. Leather, cashews, toffee and some subtle smokiness. Water brings out pepper, minerality, more oak tannins and lengthens the finish.
Last Word: Like it’s counterpart the Yoichi Non-Peated, I’m not convinced this is worth the asking price. However, this is a big step up in balance and complexity of the standard Miyagikyo No Age Statement and a pleasant surprise.

Rating: 89/100

Yoichi Single Malt Limited Edition 2021 Non-Peated 47%abv

Nose: Fruity, malty, earthy. Dried pears, dried apples, orange peels, currants. Dusty oak, rhubarb, lemon juice, barley, vanilla. Even with the earth and oak there is a crispness to the nose. Almonds and more vanilla with water added.
Palate: Palate has some decent punch for 47%abv. Malt, dried apples, nutmeg, strawberry shortbread, almonds, hazelnuts. Heated copper and a touch of sulphur. Some pepper with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Oak, cacao powder, earth, vanilla pods. The finish starts on the short side but lengthens after a few sips. A little drier with water added.
Last Word: I was sceptical when I first heard about this release. A No Age Statement, Non-Peated Yoichi, whoop-de-do. Another overpriced novelty?
I’m not convinced it’s worth the price but, it’s a lot better than I expected and a decent step up from the standard No Age Statement Yoichi Single Malt. I suspect there is some long aged whisky in the blend.

Rating: 88/100

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt No Age Statement Circa 2021 43%abv

Nose: Light earthy peat. Nutmeg, wet wool, cacao powder, pears, white peaches, red apple skins, licorice root. A savoury note with water added.
Palate: Fermented pears and apples, vanilla, chilli flakes, white oak, nutmeg, salt, licorice root, butter, icing sugar. Some orange sherbet with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Nutmeg, cacao powder, almonds, licorice root, butter beans, ash. Touch of lemon and some juicy oranges with water added.
Last Word: A decent whisky that improves a month or so after opening and the fill level drops. However, not really a patch on the previous version with the dark label.
I suspect the main reason is a dearth of sherry cask mature whiskies at Nikka’s distilleries. Seems to me there is no sherry cask whisky in this newer blend, where it is an obvious influence in the previous version which was much richer and rounder. If you can still get your hands on the older version, run don’t walk to stock up!

Rating: 82/100

Miyagikyo Single Malt Apple Brandy Wood Finish 2020 No Age Statement 47%abv

Nose: Cherries, vanilla, gingerbread, lemon cake, grapefruit, pineapple. Shellfish, varnish, tart green apples, hint of struck match. Youthful but mellows out somewhat with time in the glass.
Palate: Pears, green apples, lemon cake, mandarins. Shellfish, banana, pineapple, salt, grilled cheese, lemon sherbet, lime juice. The fruits become juicier with water added. Light bodied.
Finish: Dried pears, dried apples, wood shavings, mandarins, green apple peels, cream. Some late menthol and ash.
Last Word: Like the Yoichi version the influence of the Apple Brandy Wood Finish is subtle. Plenty of signature Miyagikyo notes and flavors and a decent step up in complexity from the standard no age statement single malt.

Rating: 86/100

Yoichi Single Malt Apple Brandy Wood Finish 2020 No Age Statement 47%abv

Nose: Grapefruit, varnish, apples, dried pears, lemons, tar, brine, damp earth. Doesn’t nose like there is a lot of older malt in the blend.
Palate: Blueberries, dark chocolate, Sara Lee Apple Danish, peat, damp earth, black currants, brine, oily mouth feel. Water brings out some of that multi-fruit breakfast juice. Medium Bodied.
Finish: Peat, coal, blueberries, menthol, ash, oak, tobacco leaf, tea tannins. The finish is longer, more citric and oilier with water added. In fact, it’s quite long indeed.
Last Word: Definitely has the Yoichi DNA and the Apple Brandy Wood Finish has no more than a very subtle influence!

Rating: 87/100

Yoichi Single Malt Manzanilla Cask Finish 48%abv

Nose: Sherry, oak, shoe polish, match box, grapefruit, apple core, peppermint.
Palate: Match box, coal fire, ash, hay, grappa, horse stables. For me quite a strange funk to the palate on not in an appealing way.
Finish: Grappa, horse stables or in general just farmy, boiled eggs. Quite bizarre.
Last Word: Every now and again a distilleries house style and the cask type clash. This is one of them and I would never recognise this as a Yoichi Whisky. Like the Miyagikyo Manzanilla Cask Finish my least favorite of those I’ve tasted in the series being inferior in my opinion to both the Moscatel and Port Wood finishes. I haven’t tasted too many duds from Yoichi but this is one and possibly the worst.

Rating: 76/100

Miyagikyo Single Malt Manzanilla Wood Finish 48%abv

Nose: Oranges, cherries, vanilla, toffee, marmalade, a touch of struck match.
Palate: Cola, oranges, cherries, vanilla, icing sugar, cocoa. Somewhat bourbonesque in style. Light Bodied.
Finish: Cola, caramelized oranges, creamed cherry chocolate.
Last Word: Decent single malt but my least favorite of those I’ve tasted in the series being inferior in my opinion to both the Moscatel and Port Wood finishes.

Rating: 84/100

Japanese Whisky Bar Report – Aloha Whisky Bar Tokyo

Aloha Whisky

A newcomer to the Tokyo Whisky Bar scene, Aloha Whisky Bar in Ikebukuro opened it’s doors in September 2019.
The bar is owned and operated by the affable Mr David Tsujimoto, a native of Hawaii of Japanese decent. David has lived in Tokyo for the last 6 years and in that time has collected an extremely impressive range of whiskies. Around 600 bottlings in total and if that is not enough to wet your appetite, about 250 of these are Japanese Whiskies. That number of Japanese Whiskies propels Aloha Whisky Bar straight into the Major Leagues!

Aloha Whisky 2The majority of the other whiskies on offer are Scottish or Bourbons but there is also whisky from Canada, Ireland, Taiwan, Hawaii, Australia, Switzerland and China.
Other alcoholic beverages include Beer, Red and White Wine, Gin, and Cognac. David also has a passion for rums so if your interested in rums, ask David for a recommedation of one of the rums at the bar. We did and it was a suberb fruit bomb!
Starting prices for half shots of no age statement Japanese Single Malt Whiskies is Y500 and Single Cask Japanese Whiskies from the likes of Chichibu Y1500.
If you are new to whisky David offers a number of tasting flights from both Scotland and Japan. A tasting flight was the starting point for my own Japanese Whisky odyssey over 10 years ago.
As David is always on the lookout for new whisky expressions, you would be certain of an exciting experience even after multiple visits to Aloha Whisky Bar.
Aloha Whisky Bar is also a non smoking venue, a boon for anyone who actually wants to nose and taste whisky not just cigarette smoke all night. The bar seats around 10-12.
The bar is currently open every day except Tuesdays from 6PM-11:30PM. I always recommend before going to any bar that you check out their Facebook page for any updates to opening hours. Directions to the bar if arriving by train are pretty straight forward. Exit C3 of the Fukutoshin(F) area of Ikebukuro Station. If you can’t find C3 ask any station staff. When you exit C3 at street level the bar is directly across the road a few meters to the left. It is on level 3 accessed by a small elevator. Picture below includes the sign for Aloha Whisky Bar.
I cannot recommend Aloha Whisky Bar highly enough and it will be one of my regulars whenever I am in Tokyo.

Aloha Whisky 3

Japanese Whisky vs Scottish Whisky

I’ve heard this or read about this very question many times over the last decade.
Sometimes it is related to distilling technique, sometimes as an historical time line and most often about the quality of the product.
When you strip the question to the bare bones it unfortunately ends up covering the spectrum of both simplistic to complex.
So….lets delve into a stripped back version Japanese Whisky one-o’-one.
Japanese Whisky is based on Scottish Whisky Distillery principles. Pot stills, malted barley(for single malts), grains(corn and or other grains) and usually double distilled(wash still and spirit still). The barley may be peated or unpeated and for the most part over the years is not sourced from Japan due to cost. Europe, mainly Germany and Australia in Asia(yes Aussie is considered part of Asia), have been two major sources or barley for Japanese Whisky production.
The pot still’s also for the most part, are built and shipped in from the UK for instance, Forsyth’s.
The water source as in Scottish whisky production is considered of paramount importance. The site for Japans first home grown whisky distillery Yamazaki was specifically chosen by the founder Shinkiro Tori because of the quality of the local water source. Yoichi distillery in the northen part of Japan was specifically chosen by it’s founder Masataka Taketsuru because the geographical area reminded him the most of Scotland where as a young chemist, he learned the art of whisky distilling.
So how did home grown Japanese Whisky Distilling begin?
One common theme I’ve heard is that Masataka Taketsuru the founder of Nikka was sent to Scotland at the behest of Shinjiro Tori(the founder of Suntory) to study the art of whisky distilling.
The two men did know each other but Taketsuru was dispatched to Scotland by his then employer Settsu Shuzo. On Taketsurus’ return, Settsu Shuzo, for want of a better word, no longer had the where with all to support a whisky distilling endeavour. Call it kismet, but the fledgling Suntory in need of a master distillery/distilery manager for the Yamazaki Distillery found the perfect person in the then unemployed Taketsuru.
Ok, I’m not going to bore you with a more detailed history as there are some differences between the Japanese ‘Big Two” whisky companies but historically it all leads back to Scotland.
So….we have all the fundamental ingredients in Japanese whisky as we do in Scotland, grain, water, pot still/s, oak barrels and at least for the legit Japanese whisky distilleries, cannot be labelled whisky until three years old.
A matter of respect! Anyone who has visited Japan will know that the Japanese when they take to any niche, they respect and embrace the cultures they eminated from to the nth degree. It could be Jazz music, Flamenco dancing, Silent Films or booze.
Did you know that Suntory spent a decade developing the blue rose? This wasn’t just for shit’s and giggles, but out of respect for Scottish whisky distilling history and the blue in the Scottish flag.
Now down to the brass tacks…….
There will be some cultural differences between Scottish and Japanese Whisky production philosophies which have nothing to do with a rivalry. The two biggest differences these days are cost and availability.
Availability: Scottish whisky is far more readily available in volume, number of distilleries and age statement bottling’s.
Cost: Scottish whisky is easily more affordable for the same quality and or, same age as the Japanese equivalent.
Both countries can produce whisky that is a silk purse or a sow’s ear!