Japan is a country with a rich history and deep ties to Scotland for its whisky production, but there are some new guys on the scene whose whisky ties back to the manufacturing of Shochu. It’s a fascinating and exciting vertical and below is a collection of the Japanese whisky that’s been reviewed here on TWJ. Expect more to com in the near future!
Fukano Rice Whisky
…fully enjoyed this Fukano Rice Whisky the day I got to try both of them with the importer. I also enjoyed it the next day when I was home sipping some samples and writing up this review. The most obvious thing about this whisky is that isn’t like anything else out there…
Fukano Whisky
…interesting and tasty stuff. Smooth and buttery, nicely balanced and flavorful – there’s no question about why I’m digging this. However, there is a sister cask out there that I like a bit more than this particular one, but when I was tasting them side by side they were quite close…
Nikka Coffey Grain
… is pleasant enough that I wouldn’t mind having a glass from time to time, but it’s not complex enough that I’d want it as a daily drinker. More like an interesting diversion to break up my typical go-tos. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it mind you, just that it’s a light whisky that contains no real dimension…
Hibiki Harmony
…nicely done, but tasting it next to the Hibiki 12 shows a none-too-subtle difference. The 12 is richer and more complex than the Harmony and has more to explore across the palate and nose than the Hibiki Harmony. All-in-all there’s nothing wrong with the Harmony, I’m just struggling to get a whole lot out of it which makes its high price difficult…
Hibiki 12 years
…it’s sad that Suntory seems to be cutting it from their lineup. It was a fantastic example of a blend done right and even though it was a bit overpriced it fell in line with the pricy nature of all Japanese whiskies here in the USA. It has a nice aroma, pleasing palate and a complimentary finish that tied the whole whisky together in a nice neat package…
Yoichi 15 years
…a fantastic dram, but like most Japanese whiskies it suffered from being overpriced. Which is now made worse by the fact that it’s no longer being made so the price on the bottles I’ve found in stores recently have gone through the roof – it’s a little insane. Regardless, it’s a good whisky with a lot to offer across the nose, palate and finish…
Taketsuru 12
…approachable, but not exactly what I’m looking for in a daily drinker. The nose has a nice sweet and savory thing going on that I really enjoy, but the flavor and the finish are really not my favorite. The ashy quality of the peat becomes cloying after a bit which, combined with the underlying medicinal qualities, makes it feel a bit off to me and not really something I want in my glass every day. A glass on the weekend, sure…
Yamazaki 12 Year
…a rather burly dram neat it completely falls to pieces in a hurry when ice gets introduced to equation, even when it isn’t preceded by a splash of water. I don’t like to tell people how to drink their whisky, but with this one I would highly recommend it be drank neat. Though definitely experiment with water…