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By David Levine
Score: B
(Credit score: Akashi Brewery)
Mizunara – simply the phrase makes whisky lovers’ ears perk up and their wallets empty. This Japanese oak species is native to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, belying its scientific title of Quercus mongolica (although some sources label it as crispula, a variant of mongolica).
A mean new, 53 gallon American oak cask is a number of hundred {dollars}, with re-use barrels being turned for as little as $50-$100 every. Mizunara, by comparability, averages upwards of $3,000-$5,000 for a brand new cask and…nicely, not that a lot much less for a used one. It’s costly, uncommon, and very onerous to work with. Mizunara is knotty, making it each tough to chop stave-quality slices and resulting in a infamous propensity to leak. It’s additionally tight-grained and takes upwards of 200 years to mature, 2.5x so long as the common barrel-quality American oak.
To be truthful, it does impart a taste profile unmatched by American, French, and different varied European oak species with which we’re extra acquainted. If we put apart the price and simply have a look at the flavour, it is a fascinating pairing of American rye and Japanese oak. I used to be most shocked by the dearth of comparative merchandise. For some cause, I had been underneath the idea that extra manufacturers had tried the pairing – maybe Barrell or one other mixing home or NDP, however no. Thus it is a rarer combo than I went in believing.
My guess is that the price alone scared most away from utilizing it with something aside from bourbon, which remains to be more likely to promote on a 1:1 foundation than rye. It’s an actual disgrace – I discover myself having fun with this pour increasingly as I sip it, regardless of it taking a little bit of time to open.
If there have been one factor I need to chirp about, it’s one thing that’s not Hatozaki’s fault. By buying totes of rye and mixing them in Japan then ending within the mizunara, to me it takes away from the “American”-ness of the product. On its face that sounds silly, I do know, however hear me out. For some cause that I can’t absolutely clarify, if Hatozaki had executed this similar course of within the US I’d haven’t any such concern.
Simply probably, it’s as a result of neither the rye nor the mizunara are distinctive to Hatozaki, so in a approach there’s nothing particularly Hatozaki about this. Sure, they mix and end at their Kaikyō, they usually (I’m guessing) decide the casks, so there is ability concerned.
Clearly I’m conflicted on this, and I’ll have to consider it much more to actually perceive why I’m having such an issue reconciling what’s an objectively superb product and my points with its provenance. In equity to this product, then, I’ll fee it solely on the pour’s deserves.
The Whiskey
In a Glencairn, seems to be like assam black tea, with medium sloughing rims, medium legs and tiny drops. The nostril is kind of fragrant, each rye natural sweetness and mizunara fragrance hitting instantly. Although listed at “not less than” 51% rye, I’d guess the ultimate mix was nearer to 60-70%. Unlit incense sticks, doubtlessly sandalwood, some tarragon and a touch of ripe banana.
The palate is a bonanza of taste, sweet-ish herbs, the barest astringency with maple sugar and patchouli. Expired clove and vanilla spherical out the again gently. Drinks at or barely above proof. Mouthfeel is gentle however syrupy, pepper spice on the tip of my tongue with the incense catching fireplace. Considerably coating and covers the entire tongue. Brings out the rye’s darker facet. The end showcases a clearer sandalwood taste, with the mizunara taking cost. A lightweight crimson and white fruit salad getting into late so as to add an additional dimension to this. Medium size with a fast ending.
General: hits all of the notes you count on from a rye completed in mizunara, so full marks for intentionality. At $95, this received’t break the financial institution, particularly for a bottle involving mizunara and cross-globe shifting of spirits. Being a sourced rye completed in mizunara, although, I can’t assist however surprise if there must be extra of a narrative or one other ingredient of this to make it extra experiential.
The Worth
As talked about beforehand, it is a $95 for a 750 ml bottle. The manufacturing run for this third version is about 3,000 bottles.
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