JAPANESE WHISKY REVIEWS
Ichiro’s Malt Single Cask #3861 Review (Cat and Mouse)
Named “Cat and Mouse”, this single cask of Chichibu sports an 8-year age stated from a refill bourbon barrel and an ABV of 60.4%.
Nikka Sessions Shelf Review
Enter in Nikka Sessions – a bottle that attempts to demonstrate that not all Japanese whisky has to be expensive to be good. Priced at under $40 (only available in Japan), this is a blend of both scotch and Japanese whiskies owned by Nikka
Akashi White Oak Single Malt Review
Originally a component whisky to the White Oak blend, the Akashi brand periodically releases a limited single malt expression of White Oak that cranks the ABV up to 46% and features natural color, non-chill filtration and no age statement.
Miyagikyo Grande Review
Known as Miyagikyo Grande, this features a slightly higher 48% ABV, non-chill filtration, and more extensive use of sherry casks in its composition when compared to the standard Miyagikyo Single Malt release. Retailing for around 10,000 yen, is this worth the buy?
Hatozaki Finest Japanese Whisky Review
If you try to do a bit of research on Hatozaki you won’t find much. As with many of these brands from Japan, much of their whisky is sourced and not much information is made publicly available. So does this 40% ABV, extremely lightly colored (almost alarmingly so), and widely available whisky represent a low-risk way to get into the Japanese whisky scene? Well let’s dive in and find out.
Iwai 45 Review
It’s not every day that you can find a Japanese whisky from a recognizable distillery that’s priced under $50. Japanese whisky has become a rarified category where limited supplies have led to major scarcity and rampant price gouging. Names like Nikka and Suntory have become almost impossible to find around the US. So when Mars distillery started selling Iwai 45 (pronounced EEE-WHY), there was a buzz about it. Could we now find a readily available Japanese whisky for around $35?
Nikka Yoichi Single Malt Shelf Review
One of Nikka’s two distilleries, Yoichi is a darker, smokier side to the classic Nikka whisky profile. While this maintains some of the traditional fruity and floral notes, Yoichi Single Malt provides a distinctly different experience than its southern Miyagikyo counterpart.
2016 Yamazaki Sherry Cask Review
This may be the single greatest whisky experience I have ever had. Scratch that. It was the best whisky experience I have ever had.
Yamazaki 12 Year Review
Yamazaki 12 is the gateway drug for most people into the world of Japanese whisky. It has maintained its age statement in a time where Japanese whisky is as scare as ever. But if it worth sometimes paying ridiculous prices to score a bottle of this 12 year whisky?
Hakushu 18 Year Shelf Review
While not as well-known as Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18 year is another elusive gem from Suntory. And while it shares the same age statement as Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18 is a very different whisky altogether, hailing from the beautiful mountain distillery that boasts a more smokey, herbal, and more subdued experience.
Hibiki Harmony Blended Whisky Review
Hibiki is Suntory’s famous blended whisky line that has won numerous awards around the world for its excellent age stated and specialty expressions. Harmony represents the entry level expression and a is one of the first Japanese whiskies many people try.
Yamazakura Whisky Shelf Review
In this review we take a look at a strange and obscure Japanese whisky that has recently been made available in the US. While its provenance is a mystery, my feelings about it are not.
Nikka Gold & Gold Shelf Review
In this review I take a look at certainly one of the most amazing looking bottles on my shelf. But does this bottle overshadow the Nikka Gold & Gold whisky inside?
Hakushu 12 Year Shelf Review
The Hakushu 12 year expression, while often compared to Yamazaki’s 12 year, is a very different approach to whisky.
Yamazaki 18 Year Review
The Yamazaki 18 Year is one of the best known, most sought after, and most exciting Japanese whiskies on the market. But has the House of Suntory actually delivered on the hype? Let’s find out.
Moon Glow 10 Year Review
A limited, Japan-only release from back in 2018? This ought to be pretty good….
Nikka 12 Year Blended Whisky Review
As a Japan-only release, Nikka 12 is rare in the US. But after picking up a bottle in 2017, I realized why the Japanese are considered the master blenders of the world.
Suntory Toki Shelf Review
A Shelf Review of Suntory’s entry level offering. Is this a good way to jump into the delicate world of Japanese whiskies?