Category: Japanese Whiskey

Whiskey produced in the nation of Japan

Review: Nikka Miyagikyo

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Japanese Whiskey, Miyagikyo, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Price: $80 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Miyagikyo / Asahi Breweries

Region: Japan

45% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon, new American oak, sherry casks

Color: Amontillado sherry

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Orchard fruits, apples, pears, floral, fresh, touch of sherry, oak, nuts, and ginger

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Honey, malt, vanilla, sherry, dried fruit, citrus, floral notes, and apples

Finish: Light to medium warmth and slightly under medium length duration, lots of honey, orchard fruit, dried citrus, and light sherry notes

Thoughts: Gentle and fruity and very much in the vein of speyside scotch. An easy drinker, but a touch overpriced for its current state.

Score: 79 out of 100

Review: Nikka Yoichi 2000’s

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Japanese Whiskey, World Whiskey, YoichiLeave a comment

Price: Roughly $250 for 500ml

Distilled/Owned by: Yoichi / Nikka

Region: Japan

57% ABV

Aged For: NAS, distillate from 2000 through 2009

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Undisclosed

Chill Filtered:No

Color Added: No

Color: Pale gold

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Powerful peat, vanilla, graphite, sawdust, caramel, pepper, citrus, pear

Feel: Rich

Taste: Apples, rosewater, butterscotch, oak, vanilla, mint, campfire ashes, honey

Finish: Medium length and warmth, saltwater spray, cream, tannins, malt, and hay with slight smoke

Thoughts: The high ABV helps immensely with the mouthfeel and is a good young peated whisky with a good mouthfeel and flavor range.

Score: 84 out of 100

Review: Mars Kumamoto Bartenders Project

On By MajorHopIn 70-74, Japanese Whiskey, Shinshu Mars, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Price: $90 for 700 ml

Distilled/Owned by: Shinshu Mars / Hombo Shuzo Co

Region: Japan

43% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Honey, malt, light smoke, oak, maybe a light fruit note buried deep down?

Feel: Light to medium body

Taste: Vanilla, honey, malt, oak, hay, and light smoke, “delicate”

Finish: Light warmth, medium length, malty with vanilla and honey notes

Thoughts: It’s a pretty basic blended malt with no real flavor popping out, but nothing offensive either. Tastes young, but not in a bad way.

Score: 73 out of 100

Kirin Fuji-Sanroku

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Japanese Whiskey, Kirin, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Kirin Fuji-Sanroku

Distilled/Owned by: Kirin

Region: Japan

50% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Chill Filtered: No

Color: Light Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Banana, honey, oak, grains, cream, and spice

Feel: Medium to full bodied

Taste: Sweet and fruity with banana, coconut, vanilla, and cream

Finish: Warm, lasting, vanilla, honey, chocolate, almond, spices, and a touch of fruit

Thoughts: The heavy banana notes were a bit off-putting for me, but otherwise a standard fruity malt

Score: 75 out of 100

Kaiyo Japanese Mizunara Oak

On By MajorHopIn 70-74, Blend, Japanese Whiskey, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

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Price: $65 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Sourced Teaspoon malt / Kaiyo

Region: Japan

43% ABV

Aged For: NAS, and aged at sea!

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Mizaunara Oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: Undisclosed

Color: Golden

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Herbal spice, earthy, weeds, oak, sugar, and salt

Feel:Medium body

Taste: Cream, vanilla, herbal, grass, and caramel

Finish: Caramel, vanilla, oak, herbal rye, malt, shorter length, light warmth

Thoughts: I actually think this is superior to the cask strength version, it tastes less like a young craft whisky and more like it’s own thing. Still doesn’t make it a good whisky though.

Score: 72 out of 100

Kaiyo Cask Strength Japanese Mizunara Oak

On By MajorHopIn 70-74, Blend, Japanese Whiskey, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Kaiyo Cask Strength

Price: $100 for 750ml

Distilled/Owned by: Teaspoon Malt (Blend) / Kaiyo

Region: Japan

53% ABV

Aged For: NAS, aged on the ocean Jefferson’s style!

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Mizunara Oak

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: Undisclosed

Color: Bronze

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sharp grains, herbs, floral notes, young smelling, like a craft whiskey, and almost rye like

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Nutmeg, pepper, floral, oolong tea, and rye notes

Finish: Warm and lasting, citrus, cinnamon, cedar, and pine resin

Thoughts: This reminded me more of a young craft rye, not a malt whiskey. Maybe that’s just the Mizunara that I don’t care for as I don’t have much experience with it, but still not my thing.

Score: 70 out of 100

Nikka Pure Malt Black

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Blend, Japanese Whiskey, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

img_20180810_230153

Nikka Pure Malt Black

Price: $50 for 500ml

Distilled/Owned by: Blended malt / Nikka

Region: Japan

43% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Mashbill: 100% malted barley

Cask Type: Undisclosed

Chill Filtered: Yes?

Color Added: Undisclosed

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Honey, malt, gentle smoke, vanilla, toffee, chocolate, and raspberry

Feel: Medium body, oily

Taste: Vanilla, gentle oak, smoke, and blueberry crumble

Finish: Medium length and warmth, vanilla, smoke, and oak, with gentle berries

Thoughts: I liked this one much more than I thought I would, a good blend of smoke and fruit, without being an exact scotch replica.

Score: 83 out of 100

The Chita

On By MajorHopIn 75-79, Chita, Japanese Whiskey, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

The Chita

Price: $60 for 700ml

Distilled/Owned by: Chita / Beam Suntory

Region: Japan

43% ABV

Mashbill: Single Grain (Undisclosed)

Aged For: NAS

Cask Type: Ex-bourbon, wine, and sherry

Chill Filtered: Yes?

 

 

Color: White wine

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn.

Nose: Confectionary sugar, grain, vanilla, oak, and a touch of fruit

Mouthfeel: Light bodied

Palate/Taste: Banana, honey, vanilla cream, and a bit of pepper

Finish: Sugar, grass, vanilla, and light citrus

Thoughts: Light, delicate, boring

Score: 75 out of 100

 

 

Nikka Whisky From The Barrel

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Blend, Japanese Whiskey, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Nikka From The Barrel

Price: $40 for 500ml (Only available outside the U.S.A.)

Distilled/Owned by: Blend / Asahi Breweries

Region: Japan

51.4% ABV

Aged For: NAS

Chill Filtered : No?

Color Added: Unknown

 

 

Color: Amber

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Toasted grains, vanilla, caramel, corn, alcohol, and floral undertones

Feel: Medium body

Taste: Ginger, white pepper, vanilla, oak, salted almonds

Finish: Medium, lasting honey, cream, oak, and spice

Thoughts: It’s sad that one of the best Japanese whiskies is one that isn’t even available for purchase in the States

Score: 84 out of 100

Kirin Fuji Sanroku 18 Oloroso Cask Finish

On By MajorHopIn 80-84, Japanese Whiskey, Kirin, World WhiskeyLeave a comment

Kirin 18 Oloroso

Not often seen outside of Japan, Kirin doesn’t have the exposure Suntory or Nikka has. A blended whisky, this was their 2016 limited edition release in Japan.

Price: Discontinued

Distilled/Owned by: Kirin

Region: Japan

46% ABV

Aged For: 18 Years

Mashbill: Blended whiskey

Cask Type: Oloroso Sherry

Chill Filtered: No

Color Added: No

 

Color: Auburn

Drank: Neat, in a glencairn

Nose: Sweet sherry, vanilla, chocolate, citrus, ginger, and lavender.

Taste: Almond, butterscotch, pomegranate, raisin, orange peel, and a touch of oak.

Finish: Warm and medium in length with sherry and vanilla sweetness.

Thoughts: A good sherried malt that leans toward the sweet side.

Score: 82 out of 100