Nose: Not dissimilar to cask 8497 as can be imagined. Banana, grapefruit, orange, oak, pencil shavings, wood stain, shoe polish.
Palate: Fairly brutal and one dimensional without water. Burnt rubber, burnt banana, orange, caramel. With water you get a little sweet spice, treacle and bitter nuts.
Finish: Not much to it. A little sweet, a little dry, a little bitter and burnt rubber.
Last Word: Not too flash.
Rating: 73/100
Nose: Fairly subtle. Dried fruits of raisins and mango. Marmalade, vanilla, high end demerara rum, new leather and light oak. Actually more like a sherry cask matured whisky in some ways.
Palate: A lot more punch than the nose and in a good way. Mixed nuts, mixed peel, cigar leaf, toffee and surprisingly smoky. All very well integrated. Water tends to drown this a little.
Finish: Good length and nicely smoky.
Last word: Doesn’t sound spectacular but I like the style and balance of flavors in this one.
Rating: 89/100(almost 90)
*Notes taken from a purchased sample.
So, as we know 4 of the final bottling’s in Ichiro’s Card Series Hanyu went on sale less than 2 months ago. Now as far as I know, none have made it to Europe or the UK for general retail sale yet, so current access is by auction. This morning a bottle of Ichiro`s Malt 2000 12YO Ace of Clubs sold for 605 Euros on whiskyauction.com. That’s right, 605 Euro’s! The other 3 bottling’s that were released at the same time were up for grabs as well, 2 of them fetching 280 Euro’s the other 264. The 2 that fetched 280 were respectively 21 and 22 years old and the one that reached 264 a 12 year old like the Ace of Clubs.
Why so much for the Ace of Clubs? There was a total outrun of 503 bottles so a fair amount for a single cask. It was finished in a Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask, so was that the reason? The whisky may have only spent months in this cask, so the full effect of Mizunara Oak on the whisky may hardly be felt. How do I know this? I have an open bottle of the 4 of Spades that was also finished in Japanese Oak and compared to something like the Yamazaki annual release fully matured in Misunara
there is quite a big difference in profile. Hanyu’s tend to have an aromatic/wood spice/incense profile anyway, so it’s even harder to tell where the Hanyu house style ends and the Mizunara starts. Also, I have not read a single review for the Ace of Clubs, so buyers are just grabbing these on spec.
The kicker, when they went on sale in Japan the Ace of Clubs sold for under $100 Australian! Maybe I’m the mad one, I didn’t buy a bottle!
I bought my first bottle of Mars Whisky on my first trip to Japan. That trip, as you my have read on my about page, was the first time I had tasted Japanese whisky of any kind. I certainly had not heard of this brand, then again, I had not heard of Karuizawa, Hanyu, Akashi or many of the long since closed Japanese distilleries either. Can’t say I was particularly impressed by that first bottle of Mars Whisky either. Still, with such a cool name, at least to me, that was not going to stop me trying more of this intriguing little distilleries offerings.
Now I would never think that a company with such a relatively small whisky output would not bottle some average(or worse) stuff. What has really amazed me about Mars though, is that when they get it right, they produce whisky that is the equal of any other distillery in Japan. Check out my Full Tasted List and you’ll see what a relatively high percentage of Gold Medal ratings I have given to Mars whisky compared to how many I’ve tasted so far. The Achilles heel has been most of their sherry cask offerings that have had ‘dirty sherry'(sulphur) issues. They are not alone in this respect as so does Hanyu and Karuizawa. In contrast, after tasting all their new pot peated whisky, this stuff has future legend written all over it once it has fully matured.
The other great thing about Mars whisky for myself is that it is still a relative secret outside of Japan. So, as the rest of the world hangs on every new release of overpriced, mostly overrated Karuizawa, Mars whisky remains a unique and still rare pleasure for those who have access them. Selfishly, I hope it remains so for a little while longer at least.
Nose: Big on apricots, vanilla and banana. Also lemon meringue pie, walnuts and creamy oak. Not complex but quite luscious.
Palate: Nicely spicy, nutmeg/paprika, banana, toffee, vanilla honey, apricots, measured oak.
Finish: Short on apricots, bananas, a little spicy then dry and minerally.
Last word: Not the most complex whisky but nothing off either. Nose is the highlight.
Rating: 82/100
Nose: Dark cherries, sherry of coarse, burnt orange jus, pomegranates, dried autumn leaves and lots of struck match.
Palate: Pretty much follows the palate though the struck match has diminished a little. There is a cross between a tangy and oily mouth feel. Also some earthiness, peanut butter and nutmeg.
Finish: Fairly short with not a lot going on.
Last Word: Had potential but the sulphury element spoils that.
Rating: 75/100
Recently I jumped the gun and posted on the ‘last’ 4 bottling’s of the Ichiro’s Card Series. In an article posted in the Japan Times a couple of days ago, chief still man Masashi Watanabe tells reporter Melinda Joe there will be one more, The Joker. The cask type itself is not revealed. You can read the full report here.
Nose: Sherry, toffee, mango, red grapes. dates, blueberries, oak, brazil nuts, light peat.
Palate: Blueberries, rhubarb, cashews, toffee, raisins, nougat, menthol, fruit tingles and mouth coating peat. Smooth.
Finish: Sherry, nougat, cashews, toffee, smoke and long, lingering, mouth coating peat.
Last Word: Compared to my last bottle circa early 2011, this one has a big reduction in spirit caramel and hence a return to form. A knockout daily dram.
Rating: 88/100
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
Nose: 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
Nose: 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.
Nose: 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.
Nose: 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.
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
Nose: 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.
Nose: 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
Nose: 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
Nose: 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.
Nose: 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
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