Moon Glow 10 Year Review

In-Depth Review

Another day, another limited release. This bottle is from back in 2018, and comes from across the pond at the Saburomaru distillery in Toyama, Japan. This is a new distillery built on the premises of the Wakatsuru Brewery that was built back in 1862. Wakatsuru tries keeps production limited (less than 100 barrels a year), while aiming to keep quality high. This blended whisky reportedly features malt and grain whiskies aged up to 20 years old, but is age stated as the youngest whisky of 10 years. Only 6,000 bottles were released as a Japan-only exclusive.

Age: 10 Years

ABV: 43%

Cask: Unknown

MSRP: Around $80 US Dollars

Distillery Name: Wakatsuru (Saburomaru Distillery)

Review Date: 12/9/20

Bottle Number 2,756 out of 6,000

Color: Gold 

Nose: Salty, briny, and floral. Hints of sweetness appear under an earthy salty exterior. Iodine and herbal. Comes off as very “Scotch-y”, and less floral and fruity than typical Japanese whiskies. Reminiscent of Oban but with a bit more punch. Deep inhale brings more campfire ash to the forefront.

Palate: Bright and peaty with hints of smoked meat, salty sea breeze. Vegetal and earthy with medium levels of ethanol. It is quite a soft whisky and opens up well with time in a glass. Not nearly as aggressive as other peated whiskies from Scotland. Hearty and chewy mouthfeel but not as rich or complex as I initially was expecting.

Finish: Medium to long finish with a dash of marzipan and vanilla. As the sweetness subsides, drier, smokier notes take hold at the end of the finish. An overall subdued finish.

Final Thoughts: Moon Glow 10 Year is a solid, well-made whisky from a new distillery in Japan, and that alone should be interesting. But this whisky isn’t my cup of tea. It doesn’t come off as a typical fruity, floral, bright Japanese whisky and instead reminds me more of a Scotch from the islands.

And that’s where it falls apart for me. Because there are better Scotch whiskies out there that do this better. I find myself struggling to finish the bottle. It’s been open for more than a year, and I don’t find myself reaching for it often. It lacks the deep complexity on the palate of a Caol Ila and is too light of a finish to keep me reaching for more. But if they can build on this solid foundation, I see a bright future for Wakatsuru.

 Score: 85