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.

Karuizawa Asama 2nd Edition 1999/2000 Vintages 50.5%abv

Karuizawa Asama 2Nose: Cloves, brandy snaps, dried fruits, golden syrup, blood oranges, nail polish remover, rubber, hints of dust and fruit mold.
Palate: Dried fruits, mixed herbs, tingly spices, brandy snaps, salt, golden syrup, Arnotts savory shapes, a ginger ale/cola blend, rubber, fruit mold, spearmint, some nuttiness. Adding some water the spicy flavors are enhanced, but so to are the acetone one’s.
Finish: Arnotts savory shapes, mixed herbs, spearmint, rubber, brandy snaps, quite oily and quite long.
Last Word: The clarity of the flavors is not to bad but the balance isn’t top notch. Still, I enjoyed this more than I thought even though I wouldn’t rush out an buy a bottle.

Rating: 80/100

*Thanks to Clint at Whiskiesrus for the large sample. You can check out Clint’s review here.

Ichiro’s Malt the Joker – In the Flesh!

jokers-2

Well in the flesh at Casa Dramtastic. Most readers would have seen some release images of these. I’ll go out on a limb and say this is the first time both of these have been shown to the general public by someone who now owns them. No need to go into any of the particulars of these bottling’s as you can read about that over at Whiskies R Us. My thoughts are around what it’s like to finally have these babies in my grateful hands.
First thing, is that I had my order in for over a year. Of course I didn’t now when the release would be but I knew I had to be ahead of the game to even have a chance. Nothing is set in stone either, some retailers will/have received an allocation, many won’t. I was lucky enough to be in contact with someone who did and who generously kept me in mind for one of each label. For me this is going to be hard to beat for Japanese whisky release of the year for a number of reasons. It is, as far as I know, the end of the Ichiro’s card series. No more cards or derivatives of playing card games up Akuto-sans sleeve so to speak. Also, the black and white labeled bottling of the Joker is now officially the oldest Hanyu released to date and the fact that it was finished in a Mizunara oak cask at that. No doubt a deliberate choice for a whisky of such significance. Finally, the colour label version of the Joker would seem to be the most ambitious vatting of different cask types of Hanyu yet.
In the photo, the whisky in the B&W Joker looks darker. This is not a trick of the light or angle of the photo, it is darker than the colour Joker. Could be because the colour Joker has some younger whisky in the mix, could be it’s a vatting of different cask types, could be a combination of both or none of the above. They both sure look tasty!
Now for the problem. The colour Joker I purchased for Y12777. In under a week these were already selling in Japan on the resale market for 5 times that price. I have not seen a bottle of the B&W Joker being resold yet, but heaven only knows what they will fetch when they do. That then put these in the, I can only dream of owning one these category for most whisky fans. Supply and demand can be a real bitch sometimes!
So, what am I going to do with mine? Stare at them un-opened for a while for a starters. The B&W will then be put away with the rest of my closed bottles. It’s such a wonderful piece of history that it will be a long time before it is opened. The colour label Joker, I guess I’ll crack that on a whim someday…….

Mars “Komogatake” Single Cask 1989 24YO American White Oak Cask #619 59%abv

mars-1989-24yo-awo-59Nose: Vanilla, banana, oak, orange, toffee, wood stain. Fish sauce, grapefruit, bbq hotplate and some minerals when a fair bit of water is added.
Palate: Massive grunt without water, the banana, oak and orange still show through with some big cayenne pepper heat. A little water smooth’s things a bit and brings out toffee, barbequed corn, sour dough, still plenty of spicy heat though(hot sauce). Even more water brings out vanilla custard, a metallic element though not unpleasant and even a little ash.
Finish: Depends on how much water of coarse but the following are present, grapefruit, toffee, banana, leather satchel, orange, nutmeg, mineral’s, oak, ash, bbq hotplate.
Last Word: A brute that needs taming with a fair splash of water. None the less, I have never had a Mars AWO cask matured whisky that has failed me yet.

Rating: 87/100

Kirin Lightly Peated Aged 12 Years 43%abv

kirin-lightly-peated-12yoNose: Pineapple, papaya, caramels, earthy peat, oak, orange, vanilla.
Palate: Fresh ginger heat, pepper, pineapple, papaya, caramels, blood orange, olive oil, earthy peat, brazil nuts, savory shapes.
Finish: Pineapple, brazil nuts, tobacco, smoke, earthy peat, ginger, pepper. A combo of sweet, hot spice and drying elements from the peat.
Last Word: Very tasty whisky worth looking out for if you are in Japan. Peating level I would say is a notch up from Hakushu 12. Kirin also made a 20 year old version which I have tasted and own a bottle of.

Rating: 88/100