Nose: Screams Hanyu. Stewed apples, ripe apricots, currents, Japanese temples, strawberry jam, smooth oak.
Palate: Follows the nose closely and adds blueberries, maple syrup, honey, macadamias, nougat, custard powder, all-spice. Every sip a delight.
Finish: Incense, stewed fruits, blueberries, macadamias, all-spice, Wurthers Originals.
Last Word: Another excellent Hanyu from the Final Vintage. An expressive whisky, I only needed 15-20mls to write up the tasting notes. Very much reminiscent of Ichiro’s Malt The Game 2nd Edition.
Rating: 91/100
**Sample courtesy of Clint over at Whiskies R Us.
Thanks for this very nice review, sounds delightful indeed !
I had thought there would be no more Hanyu after the joker, but it seems there are still some reserves, that’s good to know. Although i fear this one might never make it to Europe…
I personally have no idea how many Hanyu casks are left. The question is how many casks of such a small supply are good enough to bottle? I won’t be surprised if Akuto-san does have something special left though. The Game 5 is already selling for over $1000 on the resale market. Very few people are ever going to be able to taste these whiskies. For most whisky drinkers Hanyu’s and Karuizawa’s will just be something they read about, no more real than a unicorn.