Monthly Archives: January 2013

Miyagikyo Single Cask 1996 16YO Sherry Butt #118913 Warehouse No. 25 60%abv

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p1000851

Nose: Bovril, Horlicks, kirsch and the black forest cake it’s drizzled over. Thick and concentrated with a meaty element balancing out the sweetness. Burnt orange jus. A kind of fizzy Cola/Fanta mix. Clings to the nasal passages. Dried apricots, beef and veggie stew, dry sherry, vegemite, duck fat fries.
Palate: Bang! All the flavors of the palate but errs on the meaty side. Some sugar coated mint jubes. Very concentrated. Water enhances the sweeter elements and ups the mint level.
Finish: Very long. Meaty, minty, black cherries, chocolate, dry sherry, orange.
Last Word: This one sits on a razor’s edge. I swear, one more day in this cask and it becomes a sulpur bomb. As it stands, this is my favorite Miyagikyo so far.

Rating: 92/100

Miyagikyo Date Coffey Malt & Coffey Grain Blend 43%abv

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miyagikyo-date-coffey-malt-and-coffey-grain-blend-43

Nose: Apricots, cantaloupe, coconut, tea, toffee, bran, oats.
Nose: Big spices both savory and sweet make this seem bigger than 43%abv. Chunky malt, tea, toffee, peanuts, coconut, cereals. Leans towards malt rather than grain. Water brings out some classic Nikka bubblegum.
Finish: Malt, savory spices and cereals, Fades fairly quickly.
Last Word: A fine session whisky and great value in Japan at around AUD$30-35. The blend of coffey malt and grains makes for an intriguing and tasty whisky.

Rating: 85/100
* Here is an alternate review from Whiskies R Us http://whiskiesrus.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/nikka-date-blended-whisky.html

Miyagikyo and Me

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Ah Miyagikyo, a name familiar with many Japanese whisky enthusiasts but a mystery for many of us at the same time. Why, because we(outside of Japan), don’t seem to try/buy a lot of it. I have been a member of a couple of the largest English language whisky forums for a number of years and I hardly remember seeing on the ‘What Are You Drinking/Buying’ threads anyone buying/trying Miyagikyo. Ok, they are sold outside of Japan so someone is buying them but they are hardly mentioned compared to Yoichi, Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hanyu and Karuizawa. That said, there may be a large following in Japan but I have no idea of sales volumes.
So where does Miyagikyo fit into my scheme of things. Firstly there is the standard range, no age statement, 10, 12 and 15YO. Apart from the NAS, a feisty youngster, I find the others too delicate for my tastes. This is not to say they are not refined spirits. More that the ultra delicate style is not to my taste. Certainly they conform to the early mantra of Shinjiro Torii the founder of Suntory, that whisky should be compatible with Japanese food(more on that late when I post on Yamazaki). I cannot say this is deliberate on behalf of the folks at Miyagikyo but, I can see Miyagikyo being sipped as an accompaniment to sushi, teppanyaki or yakatori and performing that task very well. I however, like many other whisky enthusiasts in the west, drink whisky as a stand alone experience.
So for myself, Miyagikyo works best when it is bottled as cask strength. The combination of the subtlety of the Miyagikyo style ramped up to the nth degree can create some fascinating contrasts. In the end, nothing is set in stone and I am looking forward to trying more bottling’s of Miyagikyo in the future so my experiences follow suit.

Yoichi SIngle Cask 1988 23YO Heavily Peated #100129 Warehouse No.15 61%abv

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yoichi-single-cask-1988-warehouse-no-15-1988-100129-61Nose: Meaty. Gravy, beef stock/bovril. Toffee and tobacco. Heavily peated by Japanese standards. Sherry, soy sauce, cow hide, Betadine, pan seared scallops, grilled pork chops, yakitori chicken skin, eucalyptus, teak. Simply reeks of Japan. Yeh baby!
Palate: Stunning. Beef stock, chicken gravy, candied nuts, sherry, earthy and sweet peat. Honey lollipop, marshmallow, cinnamon, nutmeg, stewed rhubarb, peppermint, menthol, coal. Water brings out hot spices, prefer this one neat. Perfect mouth feel for my tastes.
Finish: Long! The sweet and peaty elements in perfect balance.
Last Work: Brilliant! More heavily peated Yoichi please Nikka.

Rating: 94/100

Yoichi SMWS 1985 23YO #116.13 “Timber Wood & Bonfires” 51.7%abv

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yoichi-smws-116-13-23yo-51-7Nose: Very medicinal for a Japanese whisky. Bonfires from different woods. Malt, yeast, sea spray, moss, pie crust, stewed apples, butter menthols, overripe peaches.
Palate: Medicinal with a background sweetness to balance. Pineapple, toffee, preserved peaches, salt. Water tends to flatten this one.
Finish: Dry, but not a woody dryness, more ash/peat. Pineapple, bonfire, toffee, salt, pepper, vanilla.
Last Word: The most Islay Scotch like Japanese whisky I’ve tried but with underlying elements that are intrinsically Japanese in style.

Rating: 90/100
* Notes taken from a purchased sample.

 

Yoichi Single Cask 1991-2005 #129504 Warehouse No.15 64%abv

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yoichi-single-cask-1991-2005-129504-64Nose: Camphor, wood spice, stone fruits, peat, blackberries, icing sugar, oak, wine gums.
Palate: Earthy, mushrooms, toffee, peat camphor, coal. Water brings out candied bitter nuts, marshmallows and some big hot spices. Subtle it isn’t.
Finish: Medium length. A little fruit, bitter nuts, toffee and loads of coal/ash/smoke.
Last Word: A little too big and brash for it’s own good.

Rating: 86/100
*Notes taken from a purchased sample.

Yoichi Single Cask 1991-2011 #129651 Warehouse No.15 63% abv

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yoichi-single-cask-1991-2011-63-129651Nose: Sweet and sour sauce. Soy sauce, candied nuts, brine, lemon, peat, stone fruits, toffee, vanilla, teak, lightly medicinal, an earthy element. Not huge, but nicely balanced.
Palate: Toffee, candied nuts, marshmallows, sweet orange, pink grapefruit, light peat, pepper and ash. Water enhances the sweeter elements and adds some nougat and peppermint. Very nice indeed and good balance even at the full 63%.
Finish: Pretty much follows the palate and works with or without a little water.
Last Word:The type of dram that makes you want to pour another straight away.

Rating: 90/100
*Notes taken from a purchased sample.

Yoichi SIngle Cask 1994 18YO #400749 Warehouse No. 27 62% abv

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yoichi-single-cask-1994-18yo-400749-warehouse-25-62_0

Nose: Werther’s Originals. Rich summer stone fruits, light peat, minerals. Touch of sherry, varnish, light oak, autumn leaves, ham, sweet lemon, vanilla. Water adds some floral’s, earthiness and enhances the peat.
Palate: Very approachable even without water. A little oily. Figs, warm spices, raisins, light peat, smoked meat, minerals, marshmallows, ginger, salt, Werther’s Originals, coconut, fruit tingles. Water pushes the spices to the back palate and enhances the sweet elements, toffee/vanilla.
Finish: Minerals, toffee, marshmallows, warm spices, menthol, some ash/peat.
Last Word: Excellent! Love this one!

Rating: 92/100

Yoichi and Me

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I’ve been chatting with some fellow Japanese whisky enthusiasts of late and realized, well confirmed, how under represented the Yoichi distillery is on these pages. This is not a reflection of a dislike of Yoichi’s product. On the contrary, I rate Yoichi’s standard product, No Age Statement through to 20 year, the best of the Japanese Distilleries. In fact, I would put Yoichi’s ‘standard’ range up against any distillery from anywhere in the world for both quality and consistency.

So, why not more tasting notes on The Japanese Whisky Review for Yoichi? Well, over the years I will buy many different batches of the ‘standards’, at least the NAS, 10, 12 and 15 year olds all of which I can afford(the 20 being double the cost of the 15 in Japan). But, the single cask stuff from Yoichi is, for a similar age, mostly more expensive than the other Japanese distilleries bar Karuizawa. As someone who purchases 99.9% of the whisky’s reviewed on this website, cost is just as much of a consideration as it is for 99.9% of the readers. Here’s an example. The oldest version of latest the Ichiro’s Card series is 22 years old and costs about 13500 Yen in Japan. A Yoichi of similar age is around 19000 Yen in Japan. Sometimes this is hard to justify and as a man of limited means and an observant partner, it’s more often than not about the means and the justification.

Above and beyond that, I will be posting some new notes on Yoichi whisky soon. Also, I will be adding some more personal reflections on the other major Japanese whisky distilleries in the near future.

WhiskyLive Tokyo 2013

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The dates for WhiskyLive Tokyo 2013 were released a little while back but I thought it would be worth posting on The Japanese Whisky Review. One of the main reasons is, if like me you do not reside in Japan, then it takes a bit more time to organize your trip. This year the event will be held at Belle Salle Shibuya Garden, the third different venue in 3 years. Nice for me as I will be staying in my usual haunt, Shinjuku, which is close by. Once more the event will be held in conjunction with the Tokyo International Bar Show. Seems not all details have been released yet so keep checking the links for updates.

Yoichi 15YO 45%abv circa 2012

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yoichi-15yo-45Nose: Nectarines, peaches, apricots, mixed nuts, wine gums, a little peat, oak and pine.
Palate: Mouth coating. Mainly follows the nose but adds, some coal, smoke, salt, milk chocolate and peppery spice. Robust for ‘only’ 45% abv.
Finish: Short medium. Fruit and nuts a little smoke and a mineral element.
Last Word: Not as smoky as my previous bottle circa 2010/2011, which I preferred. Still a very solid whisky.

Rating: 88/100
*Update 24/02/2013. Down to the last quarter of the bottle and after 10 months the concentration of smoke and peat is starting to shine. Balanced with the sherry elements I’m adding another point to the score. 89/100 knocking on the door of 90.

Hakushu 18YO 43% circa 2012

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hakushu-18yo-43Nose: Sweet pears, caramelized passion fruit, orange, red grapes, typical Hakushu earthy/forest notes. Lime juice, pepper, subtle oak and peat. Light but lovely.
Palate: Clean and fresh. A bit more peat than on the nose. Candied nuts, grilled fish, sweet pears, fresh mushrooms, lime juice, forest floor, cocoa, pepper, menthol.
Finish: Fruity, nutty, earthy, mushrooms and menthol.
Last Word: A well crafted, well balanced dram. Not a whisky to judge on a single sample as this one reveals it’s class after at least over 4-5 glasses. A must try even at the extra expense over of the already fine Hakushu 12YO.

Rating: 88/100
*Update 9/Feb/2013. Keeps getting better now 89/100

Yamazaki 18YO 43%abv circa 2012

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p1000841Nose: Sultanas, raisins, orange peel, sweet incense, nougat, honey, vanilla, fish oil, old leather. Nice balance of American Oak, Spanish Sherry and Japanese Mizunara casks.
Palate: Nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar. Raisins, currents, sultanas, donut frosting, bubblegum, almonds.
Finish: Sultanas, raisins, sweet orange peel, cigars, old leather, oak, marshmallows, nougat.
Last Word: The flavors I expect from this whisky are there, but somehow the palate/finish feels a little flat compared to previous years. Almost like it’s watered down a little. Still nice, but drops a few points because of this.

Rating: 87/100
*Notes taken from the sample in photo November 2012

Yamazaki 25YO Sherry Cask 43% abv

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p1000836Nose: Very heavy sherry. Molasses, red berries, incense, cigars, old leather, white peaches, blood oranges, dark cherries, bbq mesquite, well steeped tea, oak.
Palate: Dry sherry, almonds, cranberries, sweet orange, cigars, marshmallows, sarsaparilla and some seriously heavy duty dry oak.
Finish: Dominated by drying old wood, which ruins any semblance of balance.
Last Word: Did I mention this one runs up to $1000 a bottle? Well past it’s used by date.

Rating: 79/100
* Notes taken from the sample in photo November 2012.

Yamazaki 1984 48%abv

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p1000832Nose: Rich and deep. Very Asian exotic with lots of temple incense notes. High quality pu-erh tea. Chinese five spice, orange glazed maraschino cherries, a less sweet Ron Zacapa XO Centenario rum, earthy peat, oyster sauce, conifer forest, drying tobacco leaf, Lindt orange chocolate, mint chocolate, apricot jam.
Palate: Chinese five spice, Peking duck, light peat, cloves, sweet orange glaze, sweet tobacco, cola extract, cranberries, chewy toffee/nougat, Granny Smith apples. Expressive.
Finish:: Long, thick and mouth coating. Chinese five spice, Ron Zacapa XO Centenario, cloves, tobacco, nougat, honey yoghurt, apricot jam, a little peat and well integrated oak.
Last Word: Equal to the hype. To bad about the price.

Rating: 94/100
*Notes are taken from the sample in photo November 2012

Memories of Karuizawa 1999 13YO Sherry Cask #879 62.9%abv

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Nose: Kirsch, raisins, beef stock, damp earth, soy sauce, mint sauce, oak, licorice, chicken stock, overripe apricots. Water enhances the earthy notes.
Palate: Dry sherry, damp earth, raisins, soy sauce over spring rolls, beef stock, burnt orange, pepper, nutmeg, blackcurrant jubes. Water brings out tangy orange.
Finish: Soy sauce, chicken stock, kirsch, nutmeg, mushrooms, raisins, pepper.
Last Word: A fine young Karuizawa that is far better than  many of the overpriced, overhyped, sulphur riddled sherry numbers I’ve tasted from this distillery. Worth seeking out.

Rating: 90/100

Final Ichiro’s Malt Card Bottlings

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Tomorrow marks the beginning of the end of Ichiro Akuto’s now famous card series bottling’s of Hanyu. The last four ‘cards’ to make up the deck of 52 will go on sale at selected retailers in Japan on January the 2nd. Many readers will be aware that these are from casks that Akuto-san was able to salvage after his families company Toa Shuzo went bankrupt and stopped distilling whisky in the year 2000. This has duel significance. Over the last few years when the profile of Japanese whisky was on the rise, Akuto-san was able to capitalize on this and sell whisky that previously did not have a large enough market either domestically or internationally. We have now had the opportunity to savor many of these beauties that may well have been lost forever otherwise. This in turn helped Akuto-san start his own company Venture Whisky and the associated Chichibu Distillery which has already shown great promise.
This is not to say there won’t be anymore Ichiro’s bottling’s of Hanyu as there is still more stock. But it is the Card series that will be fondly remembered as the beginning of a Japanese whisky legend.

The details of the last 4 Cards are as follows.
Ichiro’s Malt 5 of Diamonds 2000-2012 1st Cask Hogshead 2nd Cask Oloroso Sherry Butt 57.7% abv approx. price Y8000
Ichiro’s Malt Ace of Clubs 2000-2012 1st Cask Hogshead 2nd Cask Mizunara(Japanese Oak)  Cask 59.4% abv approx. price Y8600
Ichiro’s Malt 7 of Spades 1990-2012 1st Cask Hogshead 2nd Cask Cognac 53.8% abv approx. price Y13500
Ichiro’s Malt 6 of Hearts 1991-2012 1st Cask Hogshead 2nd Cask American Oak Puncheon 57.9% abv approx. price Y11500