Hey peeps,
Welcome to Episode.1 of 6 Days of Suntory Hibiki.
You can watch my latest YouTube Video here. Some background and tasting notes for Hibiki Japanese Harmony. A whisky I hated when first tasted! This is what I think of it now!
Let me know what you think of this in the comments section of the video.
Kampai
Brian
Hey friends,
Click here to check out a quick preview video of what coming up on the Japanese Whisky Review YouTube Channel.
Please don’t forget to click the Like, Subscribe and Notification buttons if you haven’t already : )
Kampai
Brian aka Dramtastic
G’day everyone,
Click here to watch my latest YouTube video. I’m reviewing, actually re reviewing, that absolute classic from Nikka, Nikka From The Barrel. NFTB is one of the first whiskies I bought in Japan in 2009 and have bought and drunk many more bottles since. I talk a little about the history, the fact that it is not classed as Japanese Whisky by The Japanese Whisky and Liqueurs Makers Association, some tasting notes and why it is still great bang for ya buck.
Don’t forget to hit the Like, Subscribe and Notification buttons as I’ll be uploading new content every week.
Kampai
Brian
G’day everyone,
Hope you’re off to good start in 2023!. Please check out my latest YouTube video here where I discuss Japanese Whisky Real vs Fake and give my tips for avoiding the fake stuff!
You can also go full Japanese Whisky Nerd by looking through Whisky Richards Japanese Whisky Real or Fake infographic here.
Please don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe if you haven’t already.
Kampai
Brian
Hi everyone,
Happy New Year! New Year and new beginnings, The Japanese Whisky Review is now on YouTube. There will be news, history/facts, opinions, all my tastings and more! Whenever new content is uploaded I will announce it here on the Blog.
Here is the current URL for the Channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZyGSV-Art-wXfO1K9NAkDQ
I need to 100 Subs before I can created a unique URL so please do me a solid and Like, Subscribe and hit the Notification bell as I will be uploading new content every week.
Kampai
Brian
Nose: Beautiful interplay of peat and fruits. Fishing trawlers, fishing trawler diesel, fishing trawler docks. Damp earth, tinned pears, apple sauce, Dragon fruit, burnt eucalyptus, vanilla bean, peach skins and a floral note. Some citrus and medicinal notes with water added.
Palate: Caramel chews, the best chocolate sauce, damp sweet earth, toffee apples, apple sauce, pears. Burnt eucalyptus, Ferrero Rocher, peanut butter. With water there is some tangy orange and medicinal flavours. Full bodied.|
Finish: Peanut butter, butter menthols, the best chocolate sauce, sweet damp earth. Is there such a thing as chocolate peat? Menthol, some oak tannins and some ash with water added.
Last Word: A cracking 7 year old whisky! Superb!
Rating: 91/100
Nose: Very Rich! Some classic strong Chichibu, malt, toffee, honey and apple pie/strudel notes. Banana, pineapple, cinnamon, dried mango and vanilla.
Palate: Wood spices and a rum like quality, I’m thinking Jamaica or Guyana. Lots of tropical fruits, banana, mango, pineapple, passionfruit. The malt, honey, vanilla and apple pie remain but take a back seat to the tropical fruits. Pepper and garam masala. Spicier with water added.
Finish: Apple pie, butter, dried mango, banana, then goes all minty fresh plus some oak. After a couple of minutes the fruits are back. Very good length and the fruits are even juicier with water added.
Last Word: This is a World Blended Whisky, with Chichibu Malt and Grain Whisky from other countries. I find it quite wonderful and now my favorite World Blended Whisky from Ichiro-san.
Rating: 91/100
Nose: Noses somewhat like a Yoichi. Earthy peat(very Yoichi), blueberries(very Yoichi), ripe peaches. Worn in denim, minerals. There’s a soft perfume note that floats over the top. Some heated copper and sulphur that I found on the palate of the Yoichi Non-Peated with water added.
Palate: This is where this whisky really starts to shine. Rich and oily mouth feel. Earthy peat, milk chocolate, cafe latte, toffee, honey, vanilla sponge cake, pepper, cashews, butter. Some peach sherbet with water added. Full bodied.
Finish: Earthy, oily, oaky. Leather, cashews, toffee and some subtle smokiness. Water brings out pepper, minerality, more oak tannins and lengthens the finish.
Last Word: Like it’s counterpart the Yoichi Non-Peated, I’m not convinced this is worth the asking price. However, this is a big step up in balance and complexity of the standard Miyagikyo No Age Statement and a pleasant surprise.
Rating: 89/100
Nose: Fruity, malty, earthy. Dried pears, dried apples, orange peels, currants. Dusty oak, rhubarb, lemon juice, barley, vanilla. Even with the earth and oak there is a crispness to the nose. Almonds and more vanilla with water added.
Palate: Palate has some decent punch for 47%abv. Malt, dried apples, nutmeg, strawberry shortbread, almonds, hazelnuts. Heated copper and a touch of sulphur. Some pepper with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Oak, cacao powder, earth, vanilla pods. The finish starts on the short side but lengthens after a few sips. A little drier with water added.
Last Word: I was sceptical when I first heard about this release. A No Age Statement, Non-Peated Yoichi, whoop-de-do. Another overpriced novelty?
I’m not convinced it’s worth the price but, it’s a lot better than I expected and a decent step up from the standard No Age Statement Yoichi Single Malt. I suspect there is some long aged whisky in the blend.
Rating: 88/100
Nose: Medicated band aids, sump oil, lemon cough drops, damp earth, tinned pears, apple sauce, vanilla.
Palate: Smoked salmon, lemon cough drops, balsamic and olive oil. Vanilla, custard, thickened cream, custard apples, damp earth, medicated band aids.
More of the cream and custard apples with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Lemon curd, lemon cough drops, medicated band aids, grapefruit. Vanilla, fermented pears, green apple skins. Drier with oak and menthol with water added. Good length.
Last Word: I’ve tasted a number of these young Bourbon Barrel Akashi. Maybe they should Heavily Peat all of them, as this is easily the best to my taste.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Pear and apple orchards, desiccated coconut, vanilla essence, shortbread biscuits, rose petals, toffee. With water added some camomile tea and lemon zest.
Palate: Crispy red apples, pear skins, guava, some sherbet zing, malt, vanilla, Brazil nuts, pepper, butter. With water added, some chili, salt and almonds. Medium bodied.
Finish: Vanilla, toffee, dried apples, coconut, shortbread biscuits. Water improves the length by some margin and brings back the pepper to the finish.
Last Word: Straight out of the Mars House Style playbook. Another solid annual Komagatake Ltd Edition.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: The Red Wine Cask influence is definitely present. Figs, prunes, blackcurrants, strawberries, rhubarb, mango, oak, a floral note. Soft and elegant for 63%abv. More of the dark fruits plus dark breads with water added.
Palate: Rich and the power of 63% reveals itself on the palate. Not overwhelming though. Chili, fresh ginger, pepper. Raisins, currants, pumpernickel, brandy snaps, Brazil nuts, rhubarb. Caramel, honey and chocolate covered Cool Mints with water added. Full bodied.
Finish: Long on raisins, rhubarb, vanilla, pumpernickel, banana bread, brandy snaps and some oak tannins. Water brings out Butter Menthols.
Last Word: Dang……this is good stuff! Reminds me somewhat of an excellent batch of Aberlour A’bunadh. Certainly at the top end of the best White Oak Akashi Single Malts.
Rating: 90/100
Nose: Light. Vanilla, strawberry stalks, fresh rhubarb, bread dough, hint of dusty oak.
Palate: Cinnamon, strawberry conserve, rhubarb, raspberries, vanilla. Light black tea, oak. Light bodied.
Finish: Vanilla cream. cinnamon, touch of chocolate and oak. Short length.
Last Word: Really mellow and fairly bland. Far prefer the ‘regular’ 10 and 12 year old bottlings.
Rating: 76/100
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, strawberries, strawberry shortbread, sherry, oak. Whisky barrel warehouse, raisins, currants, fig paste, nutmeg. More vanilla and sherry with water added plus a floral note.
Palate: Baking spices, strawberry shortbread, vanilla essence, honey. Peanuts, sharp cheddar with cracked pepper, sherry. Some tangy orange and a hint of banana with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Peanuts, oak, honey, then a decent hit of smoke comes out of nowhere. Finish starts a little flat with water added to start, then a buttery mouth feel and more smoke.
Last Word: Very well blended mix of bourbon, american white oak and sherry casks. Decent compexity when you throw in that latent smokey element.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Toffee, plums, apricots, candied orange slices, raisins, honey, vanilla, pepper. An ever present floral note that floats over the top, some leather and bran. Elegant. Cadbury Crunchie and light oak with water added.
Palate: Rich and full bodied with long oily legs in the glass. Nutmeg, raisins, honey, plums, apricots, orange candies, brandy snaps, sweet tobacco. A nice hit of salt and pepper. Some banana with water added. Excellent balance.
Finish: Bran, cacoa powder, hint of new leather, chocolate milk. The finish is longer with water added plus some vanilla, leather, oak and banana candies.
Last Word: What a suprise packet. My favorite Mars Blend so far. Read the back label carefully and it indicates that only the Malt component was distilled by Mars. No matter, works a treat with whatever 8 year old grain whisky they used in the mix. Was an absolute bargain in Japan at around $50 retail. Highly recommended if you can still get it on the cheap.
Rating: 87/100
Nose: Light earthy peat. Nutmeg, wet wool, cacao powder, pears, white peaches, red apple skins, licorice root. A savoury note with water added.
Palate: Fermented pears and apples, vanilla, chilli flakes, white oak, nutmeg, salt, licorice root, butter, icing sugar. Some orange sherbet with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Nutmeg, cacao powder, almonds, licorice root, butter beans, ash. Touch of lemon and some juicy oranges with water added.
Last Word: A decent whisky that improves a month or so after opening and the fill level drops. However, not really a patch on the previous version with the dark label.
I suspect the main reason is a dearth of sherry cask mature whiskies at Nikka’s distilleries. Seems to me there is no sherry cask whisky in this newer blend, where it is an obvious influence in the previous version which was much richer and rounder. If you can still get your hands on the older version, run don’t walk to stock up!
Rating: 82/100
Nose: Dulce de leche, warm apricot pie, nutmeg, sweet tobacco, vanilla, lemon curd, lumber yard. A big floral note with water added.
Palate: Hot! Chili’s, fresh ginger, wasabi. Once it settles a bit, on the mid palate there is vanilla, grapefruit, sawdust, fermented green apples, fermented pears, pepper, pie crust. Nutmeg, salt, oranges and more pepper with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Apple sauce, pie crust, fresh cut timber. Dry. Some caramel and orange slices with water added.
Last Word: The quality of the distilation is there but, too unbalanced on the young, hot and spikey side on the palate. Needs a lot of water to tame.
My least favorite of the Le Papillon series so far.
Rating: 84/100
Nose: Some Iodine and earthy peat. Stone fruits such as nectarines and apricots. Herbacious, sage, cloves, fresh mint leaves. Dark Honey, apricot jam, nutmeg, pepper, balsamic. Some vanilla slice with water added.
Palate: Leads with some hot spices then the herbs stand out. Also earthy peat, pears, apples, oranges, chestnuts, coconut, pork crackling. Oily mouth feel. Salt and Juicy Fruits Gum with water added. Full bodied.
Finish: Oak, chesnuts, balsamic, earthy peat, cloves, fresh mint leaves. Cacoa powder and mint ice cream with water added. Some grilled peppers and big smoke after a few minutes.
Last Word: If you’re looking for an Islay style Heavily Peated Whisky you may be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a well balanced, complex whisky with a peaty undercurrent, you will be a pleased as I am.
Interesting for being the most herbacious Peated Mars Single Malt I’ve tasted.
Rating: 89/100
Nose: Whisky soaked oak staves, caramel, vanilla, sweet peat, bay leaves, brine, stewed apples, stewed pears, pepper. More of the vanilla and some pineapple with water added.
Palate: Chilli and pepper spice. Green apples, tinned pears, sweet peat, vanilla, apple pie crust, sweetened lemons, brine. Just the right amount of cask strength punch. Pineapple and passionfruit with water added. Medium bodied.
Finish: Sweet peat, sweetened lemons, iodine, tobacco leaf, old leather, euchalyptus, butter menthols. Some passionfruit icecream with water. After a few minutes some pure smoke.
Last Word: Really well balanced. Very tasty and hard to stop at just one dram!
Rating: 90/100
Nose: Oak, red berries, pepper, currants, plum jam, dark honey, rose petals, nutmeg, mint jelly. Almonds, icing sugar and a light citrus note with water added.
Palate: Lots of jammy flavors, plums, strawberries, figs. Black currants, cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, rasberries. Almonds and lemon merangue with water. Medium bodied.
Finish: Plums, raisins, vanilla, menthol. A tart strawberry note with water added.
Last Word: A good whisky but comes off a little unbalanced towards the wine profile. I also think it lacks some punch for 47%abv.
Rating: 85/100