Malt Bar SouthPark Tokyo Japanese Whisky

Visited on a Saturday night at around 9PM. For a well stocked whisky bar strangely quite. This may have to do with the fact that it is not inside a major Tokyo hub such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza or Roppongi. From Shinjuku station it’s about a 12-15 minute taxi ride. From about 10PM to 1.30am it was just myself and another guy I met there. Good thing is that if you are in a bar like this it’s easy to meet and chat with people about whisky because no one is there by accident.
Of course I was here for Japanese Whisky like most of the bars visited on this trip. Through a Facebook message I was advised by the bar they had approximately 300 whiskies. Seemed like more. Mostly Scottish Whiskies but I would say a more than decent selection of Japanese Whiskies. Whether you are new to Japanese whisky or a veteran, there should be enough options to satisfy. As many readers would know if you are in Japan and show enthusiasm about anything to the locals they get right on board. So what you may initially see at the bar isn’t necessarily all they have. I started with a Single Cask Chichibu then a Suntory’s Owners Cask Single Cask Yamazaki from a Sherry Butt. Once I’d talked about my passion for Japanese Whisky with the bar staff all of a sudden out comes another four Owner’s Casks that were not initially on view. IMG_0101
Then a couple of rare Hanyu appeared. As the Owners Casks were different styles you could probably just go for those and walk away happy. Apart from the Sherry Butt I tried a very tasty Owner’s Cask Heavily Peated Yamazaki. A budget of roughly Y10,000 will get you 3 Single Cask Japanese whiskies to try. Of course can spend more. I asked the price of one of the Hanyu in the picture below furthest to the right and it was Y6,800. IMG_0098
If that’s not in the budget for a full shot and your are keen, then ask for a half shot. Definitely a recommended bar for Japanese Whisky.

Mars Komagatake Sherry & White Oak Casks 3YO 57%ABV

P1020584Nose: Sherry, orange jus, cereal notes, a little struck match, bread dough, mouldy orange peel, grapefruit.
Palate: Vanilla, butter, cream, bread dough, pepper, mouldy orange peel, green vegetables.
Finish: Struck match, vanilla, sherry, orange jus, boiled greens.
Last Word: The casks blended into this don’t really gel. At the same age(3YO), Mars The Revival bottling is a far better option.

Rating: 79/100

Karuizawa 1979-2013 33YO Sherry Butt #7752 59.9%

Karuizawa 1979 33YO Sherry Cask #7712 59.9%.jpgNose: Candied nuts, caramelized orange slices, mixed peel, sweet spices, cloves, cola, leather.
Palate: Mixed peel, caramelized orange slices, caramel, black cherries, wood stain, peach fuzz, cola, red grapes, Christmas cake.
Finish: Leather, mixed peel, cola, cloves and the caramelized orange slices.
Last Word: Nice complexity and I would say a well rounded and refined Karuizawa.

Rating: 90/100

Karuizawa Kohaku 1995 Vintage 10YO 59.9%

Kohaku 2Nose: Leads with a heavy acetone note, wood stain/varnish. Oranges, grapefruit, marmalade, black pepper, spearmint, Dijon mustard, cucumber, peanut shells, burnt sugar cane.
Palate: Immediately more appealing than the nose with the acetone mellowing out. Lots of red grape sweetness, ginger ale, sweetened grapefruit, peanuts, savory shapes biscuits, salt, raisins. Some hot spices rise after a few sips. Adding water brings out some oak and butter menthols.
Finish: Short-medium on red grapes, oak, butter menthols, ginger beer.
Last Word: The heavy acetone notes of the nose diminish an otherwise decent whisky.

Rating: 80/100

Ichiro’s Malt 5 of Diamonds 2000-2012 Sherry Cask Finish #1305 57.5% abv

Ichiro's Malt Five of DiamondsNose: Subtle sherry influence or more to the point, not a full blown sherry cask single malt. Quite yeasty not unlike homemade whole meal bread. Raisins, 5 spice, oak, pepper, golden syrup, barley, bran.
Palate: Volume(think loudness) goes up a fair whack compared to the nose. Golden syrup, honey, peanuts, apricots, raisins, cloves, melted butter, oak, 5 spice, salt and fresh ginger heat. A little water adds marzipan.
Finish: Medium length on golden syrup, cloves, caramelized orange slices, 5 spice. Something odd but not awful like devilled eggs(well if you like them). Drying oak.
Last Word: Nice balance between the first cask, hogshead, and the second cask, sherry. A touch of water doesn’t go astray. This one grew on me over the coarse of the tasting. Not a hint of sulphur and very nice at only 12 years old.

Rating: 86/100
*Note: Sample courtesy of Clint at Whiskies R Us.

Nikka Taketsuru NAS Sherry Wood Finish 43%abv

taketsuru_sherry_wood_NASNose: Maltesers, caramel, oak, lacquer, dried fruits. Very gentle.
Palate: This is where things step up a few notches over the Taketsuru 12YO(I haven’t tried the standard NAS). Lots of juicy dried fruits, malt, quite a some pepper, sugared orange slices, and in lesser measure sherry, cloves and paprika. The oak is subdued.
Finish: Dried fruits, sugared orange slices, sherry, young tawny port and some decent length.
Last Word: Not amazingly complex but well balanced, the extra punch offered by the sherry cask finish is a welcome addition. Nose is a bit soft for my liking however.

Rating: 83/100

*Sample courtesy of Clint at Whiskies R Us

Hakushu Sherry Cask 2014 48%abv

suntory_hakushu_sherry 2014Nose: Christmas pudding, demerara rum, chocolate, coffee grinds, red apple skins, mixed peel, all spice. Pretty much as expected though it’s not a potent nose.
Palate: Way more punch than the nose. A mix of sweet and savory spices. blackcurrant jols, raisins, barbeque shapes, sweet red apples, dark chocolate, peanut brittle, touch of menthol, a fair whack of drying oak and the typical Hakushu earthiness.
Finish: Raisins, peanut brittle, demerara rum, earthiness, menthol and oak.
Last Word: Solid sherry cask matured whisky I personally prefer the richness of Yamazaki’s efforts for these yearly NAS sherry cask whiskies over the dry/earthiness of Hakushu’s.

Rating: 87/100

*Sample courtesy of Clint at Whiskies R Us