Category Archives: Grain Whisky

Kirin Fuji Gotemba Small Batch Single Grain Whisky 25YO 46%abv

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P1050278Nose: Creme caramel, stewed apple with cinnamon, dried bananas, nutmeg, smooth creamy oak, spearmint, icing sugar and a coastal element like shellfish. With water there is a bourbony kick of orange, licorice and rye spice.
Palate: Baking spices along with a hit of pepper and sea salt. Brown sugar, stewed apples and the dried bananas. Water brings back the creme caramel plus blood oranges, licorice and salted cashews.
Finish: This is the let down as it is short and fairly thin. There’s some icing sugar, nutmeg, brown sugar and licorice.
Last Word: The nose is luscious, the palate complex for a grain whisky with decent balance, but the finish diminishes this as an overall excellent experience and knocks several points of the score.

Rating: 87/100

Kirin Fuji Gotemba Blenders Choice Single Grain Whisky 2015 46%

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IMG_3959Nose: Light and smooth. Apple, butter, creamed corn, dried pears, honey, cinnamon.
Palate: Brown sugar, nutmeg, honey, buttered scones, dried pears, cinnamon and apple pie. Nice balance between fruits, spices and baked goods.
Finish: Sweet spices, dried pears and apples, pie crust.
Last Word: A smooth, well balanced single grain whisky that would pair well with a platter of cheese, dried fruits and nuts.

Rating: 84/100

Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky NAS 45%

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P1020898Nose: Soft. Caramel, lemon, grapefruit, mixed dried peel, hint of wildflowers.
Palate: Caramel, leather, sweet tobacco, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, brazil nuts, dried pears, red onion, herbaceous especially rosemary.
Finish: Good length. Herbaceous, dried pears, vanilla, red onion, leather and sweet tobacco.
Last Word: If you have tasted a few grain whiskies you will find this quite a surprise packet in regards to the depth and complexity of the palate. Very tasty and the spirit is of a high quality. Kicks Suntory’s latest Chita Grain NAS whisky straight to the curb.

Rating: 85/100

Suntory Chita Single Grain Whisky NAS 43%abv

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Nose: Caramel, vanilla, banana, creamed corn, bread dough, paprika. Also a fair whiff of base alcohol/acetone.
Palate: Banana, butter, creamed corn, licorice, bread dough. Not complex but that is often the norm with young, bourbon barrel aged grain whiskies. There’s alcoholic bite not from the abv strength, but from youth.
Finish: Is short on paprika, creamed corm, banana, licorice and base alcohol.
Last Word: Really not something to savor as a ‘sipping’ whisky and there are cheaper options in Japan that could be used in something like a highball.

Rating: 75/100

Kirin 40th Anniversary Single Grain 46%

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BAL_7976Nose: Gentle notes of bees wax, butterscotch, butter menthols, creamed corn, raisins, grapefruit.
Palate: Immediately spicy. Cloves, oregano, pepper, paprika, salt. Also creamed corn, stewed apples, maple syrup, cashews, ginger ale, butter menthols.
Finish: Fairly short considering the spiciness of the palate. Fades on creamed corn, stewed apples, cashews and butter menthols.
Last Word: A decent grain whisky when the mood strikes for something a little different. The short finish is disappointing after the punchy palate.

Rating: 80/100

Ichiro’s Choice Single Grain Whisky 1981 62.4%

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kawasaki-ichiros-choice-single-grain-whisky-1981-62-4

Nose: Smooth for such a high alcohol content; earthy, notes of chocolate, liquorice, orange and asphalt.
Palate: Again, pretty smooth with soft grain, molasses, liquorice, pepper and orange.
Finish: Medium length: soft oak, orange, liquorice, with a mix of some classic rum (molasses) and Bourbon (liquorice, orange) qualities.
General comment: A good if not outstanding grain whisky. Lacks the wow factor.
Rating: 82/100

Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky no age statement. 43%abv

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nikka-coffey-grain-whisky-nas-43

Nose: Pear, lemon, liquorice, oak, Juicy Fruit chewing gum, Straw, fresh strawberries and cream and fresh herbs.
Palate: Stewed pears, oak, liquorice, a bit dry and dusty with some pepper and nutmeg spice.
Finish: Medium length, straw, pears, liquorice. Drying.
Last Word: This is a solid, easy to drink grain whisky. The nose is the highlight.
Rating: 80/100

Kawasaki 1982 Whisky Live Tokyo 2011 Single Grain Sherry Butt. 65.5%abv

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kawasaki-single-grain-sherry-butt-1982-28yo-7414-65-5

Nose: Smooth grains, big sherry, fine aged rum, eucalyptus throaties, pine, creamed corn, leather, warm flapjacks. Inviting! Water adds maple syrup.
Palate: Again smooth grain, candied nuts, dry sherry, a less sweet/dryer Ron Zacapa 23. Pine, gentle oak, fresh roast java. Quite smooth and drinkable at 65.5 per cent. Water brings out sweet spiced rum of the highest quality.
Finish: Very long, one you feel you can still taste the next day. Dry sherry, fine rum, pine, licorice, creamed corn, oak and pine.
Last Word:  An excellent spirit that never lets me down.
Rating: 90/100