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| Hello, that is one in every of our (nearly) every day tastings. Santé! |
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October 17, 2024
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We proceed our Japanese expedition
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Chichibus, Mars, Shizuokas… In brief, some good issues, in principle, until we come throughout some embarrassingly ‘artistic’ casks. In a number of years’ time, I consider this era will seemingly be remembered because the one the place distillers and bottlers positioned their whiskies in probably the most unbelievable casks doable, in a bid to draw fairly jaded prospects.
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Ichiro’s Malt & Grain ‘Vol.1’ (58%, OB, for The Final Spirits by Rudder, refill bourbon barrel, cask #10772, 230 bottles, 2022) 
Not completely positive what’s on this no-age-statement mix, however we belief the names on the label. Color: white wine. Nostril: it’s very medicinal, with hints of Laphroaig, although it might simply as simply be peated Chichibu. We’re getting bandages, moist plaster, tar, seaweed, Mercurochrome, and contemporary concrete… Hardly any grain comes by means of. Then some ripe apples, cider, and a beautiful dollop of contemporary butterscotch sauce. With water: uncooked wool, Islay’s brown waters, a low-tide seaside, clams, and cockles… Mouth (neat): massive peat and candied lemon. And loads of energy—it’s acquired some struggle in it! With water: the type holds. Seaweed, samphire, ashes, camphor, iodine, wool, and clay… End: lengthy, with related notes and a contact of limoncello. Feedback: it might properly be dominated by peated Chichibu, however who’s to say for sure?
SGP: 467 – 88 factors. |
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Chichibu 7 yo 2016/2024 ‘Closely Peated’ (63.7%, LMDW Foundations, first fill bourbon barrel, cask #6179, 161 bottles) 
Distilled from ‘Concerto’ barley. Its sibling, cask #7076 from an ex-peaty barrel, was simply marvellous (WF 91). Color: pale gold. Nostril: they should have invented the phrases ‘smoky’ and ‘crystalline’ for this single cask. Primarily, it seems like an extract of the earlier Ichiro’s #10772. Extremely-precise notes of inexperienced apple, seaweed, peat, lemon, and moist chalk, evolving into soot, melted candle wax, yellow curry, and satay sauce. Fairly mad, actually. With water: completely beautiful! Rubber tree, new tyres, fir ash, tobacco ashes, spearmint… It’s like a 50/50 mix of Laphroaig and Ardbeg. Mouth (neat): monumental energy. Seawater, lemon, and three tonnes of ash. Let’s make that 5. With water: a number of olives and candied lemon be a part of the fray, whereas the ash turns into much more huge. End: very lengthy, sharp, ultra-peaty, with a lingering aftertaste of roasted inexperienced tea, gentian liqueur, and verbena. Feedback: a whisky of huge affect. After all, for those who don’t like peat, I humbly recommend you progress alongside.
SGP:468 – 92 factors. |
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We’ve additionally acquired two Chichibu ex-red Bordeaux. We’ll save these for an additional time, yeah? Perhaps we’ll do a ‘Japanese whiskies in uncommon casks’ session.
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Chichibu 2015/2024 ‘Angel’s Favorite’ (63.5%, OB, Spirits of Salud, second fill bourbon barrel, cask #4659, 2024)
Color: gold. Nostril: It’s peated, however softer and rounder, I would even say angelic. Tropical fruits and a few yellow flowers deliver it nearer to an older Laphroaig, for those who catch my drift. Mandarins, blood oranges… A number of notes of violet and cranberry, however removed from the Eighties Bowmore type. There’s additionally a contact of mint tea. With water: the pure peat returns, alongside plaster, uncooked wool, and ashes, with a definite ‘working kiln’ vibe. Mouth (neat): highly effective, sharp, inexperienced. Mint, lime, a little bit of fir wooden, and a saline edge (potash)… it actually performs along with your lips. With water: very good, medicinal, heavy on peppermint with a number of lemon and grapefruit zest. Water fits it completely. Oh, and loads of freshly caught oysters. End: lengthy, pure, with the emergence of putty and glue. A little bit of Timut pepper and extra citrus within the aftertaste. Feedback: a top-tier Chichibu that thrives with water, providing a fairly exceptional retro-olfaction.
SGP:566 – 90 factors. |
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Shizuoka ‘United S – Winter Version 2023’ (50.5%, OB, Japan, first-fill bourbon)
From what I collect, it is a mix of Okay and W, with the second go performed within the Scottish ‘S’ nonetheless. We tried the United S Summer time 2023 version again in August and completely adored it (WF 91). Color: pale gold. Nostril: I’m sorry, however we’ll have to make use of the phrase ‘pure’ once more, despite the fact that that is fairly wealthy, even opulent. Plenty of chalk, sunflower oil, plum and lemon liqueur, then mashed banana and contemporary bread. A bit contact of fougasse. With water: magical. Orange blossom cake dough, risen however not but baked. Mouth (neat): goodness me, that is pleasant. Italian lemon biscuits, beeswax, blood oranges. With water: good. A touch of pepper and nutmeg. Watch out although, not an excessive amount of water or it’d break down a bit. End: medium size. Lemon cake, and that’s it. We like it. Wait, and a little bit of peach within the aftertaste. Feedback: I’ve no concept if Shizuoka is aiming for very totally different batches or in the event that they’re striving for consistency inside this ‘United’ line. This one feels fairly constant.
SGP:561 – 91 factors. |
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We’re staying on the planet of bourbon wooden…
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Mars Komagatake 5 yo 2019/2024 ‘Yakushima growing old’ (59.8%, OB, LMDW Foundations, white oak, sherry hogshead, cask #2281, 244 bottles)
La Maison has been providing fairly a number of fairly new-age Japanese whiskies this yr of their new vary, launched at Whisky Reside Paris below the identify ‘Foundations’. However why on earth would we complain!? Color: gold. Nostril: an abundance of fruit, each very ripe and remarkably contemporary on the similar time, for those who see what I imply. Sultanas, some strikingly pink gooseberries, a touch of woodruff, and wonderful old school apples, completely ripe as properly. There’s additionally a beautiful contact of earthy and rooty spices, fairly splendid certainly. With water: the sherry affect is delightfully refined, although you do get contemporary walnuts and hazelnuts, alongside hints of tobacco, chocolate, and a contact of leather-based. These Japanese chaps actually know the best way to create marvellous issues in simply 5 years, with out resorting to unusual cask varieties. Although, in fact, Yakushima’s local weather speeds issues alongside. Mouth (neat): heaps of apple, demerara sugar, a smidge of salted caramel, after which some aged pu-ehr tea. Various salt tingling on the lips—one wonders the place that’s coming from (no, I’m not dreaming). Might or not it’s from ageing on a southern island? With water: ripe apples once more and a contact of brown sugar. End: lengthy, barely greener, extra sturdy, and with the faintest contact of roughness. Feedback: completely glorious. That salt is basically fairly enjoyable.
SGP:561 – 89 factors. |
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A small peaty one to complete off…
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Mars Tsunuki 5 yo 2018/2024 ‘Tsunuki Growing old’ (58.5%, OB, LMDW Foundations, refill American white oak, cask #T803, 275 bottles)
The barley for this younger whisky was peated to 20ppm (on par with Talisker, simply as a reminder). Color: amber. Nostril: a fairly darkish hue for a refill cask, and there is a distinct rubbery observe—new wetsuit, contemporary rubber boots, that type of factor. Then come tobacco, leather-based, bay leaves, dried meat, and rye bread… It’s an uncommon profile and, I need to say, fairly intriguing. With water: it turns into extra floral, leaning in the direction of peonies and pansies, with a basaltic contact, earlier than extra woodiness steps in. Very black tea. Mouth (neat): I like it, although it’s fairly fierce. It nearly seems like a type of newer American single malts. Allspice, pumpernickel, bitter oranges, peppered and salted darkish chocolate, rancio, peppery outdated PX, capsicum… With water: triple sec with ginger, propolis, bitter chocolate, and inexperienced tea. Watch out, although—don’t add an excessive amount of water right here both. End: lengthy however dry, with extra black tea, bitter chocolate, juniper, cloves, and a contact of mint essence. A number of prunes linger within the aftertaste. Feedback: a beautiful little beast. All that chocolate is kind of marvellous.
SGP:462 – 90 factors. |
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