A stroll in new Japan, Part 2


June 27, 2025

A stroll in new Japan, Part 2

We carry on with a calm mind and a sense of serenity.

Tenjaku ‘Pure Malt Sherry Cask’ (43%, OB, Japan, +/-2024)

The regular pure malt had been very decent (WF 76). Colour: gold. Nose: the sherry brings an extra layer of depth, without the slightest doubt. Apple compote with cinnamon, dried raisins, garden earth after the rain, lovely malt, ale… Mouth: ah, this is very well done, it’s fresh, lively, bursting with sultanas, figs, cinnamon rolls, and just a faint touch of molasses that's barely excessive. Finish: fairly long, sweet, on dried raisins and, perhaps, a few drops of ratafia de Champagne or Pineau des Charentes. Really. Comments: surprisingly good, frankly, and the bottle is truly pretty. Purple sells.
SGP:641 - 84 points.

Shindo Distillery 3 yo 2022/2025 (56%, OB, Casky exclusive, Mahjong Series ‘East’, mizunara butt, cask #10254)

The ‘4 Circles’ cask had already impressed us greatly, so we’re all ears this time. Colour: pale gold. Nose: oh, what precision! Olive oil, fresh cement, sourdough, fir buds and sandalwood. It’s chiselled. With water: hello, citrus. Mouth (neat): very striking, almost annoyingly good, flawless, incredible, ultra-precise. I adore this thing, with those sublime citrus notes. With water: how utterly delicious. Finish: same again. Perfect simplicity and precision. Comments: let’s just say it, sorry, this is extremely Chichibu-like. And here, the mizunara’s done a superb job. Three years old, by Zeus.
SGP:551 - 90 points.

Let’s check that…

Chichibu 2014/2021 (60.10%, LMDW Singapore 15th Anniversary, Flowers series #1, refill bourbon barrel, cask #3874, 218 bottles)

Colour: white wine. Nose: right then, it’s deeper, oilier, but it’s twice the age. And it’s just perfect. With water: paraffin oil, damp limestone, fresh fougasse, proper bakery croissants. Mouth (neat): a marvel of concentration and precision. Olive oil and lemon, plus hints of tar and lemon fudge. Wow. With water: melon, quite a bit of melon. Careful though, too much water can make it overly sweet. Finish: long, flawless, with those wee touches of ash, fresh butter, candle wax… Comments: blimey, that was a close call, this ultra-classic Chichibu. Absolutely beautiful.
SGP:561 - 91 points.

Chichibu 8yo 2016/2025 (63.3%, Salud Spirits, 7even Gods of Fortune, Jurojin, bourbon barrel, cask #5726, 157 bottles)

You understand, Jurojin is the god of longevity. So, there’s absolutely no reason anything could go wrong here, except we’re already flying pretty high… Figuratively, of course. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fresh butter, grand cru Chablis, gooseberries, Champagne from the Montagne de Reims (hey?), and a slice of lemon. With water: it softens, moving towards vanilla and bread dough. Mouth (neat): my word, how powerful this is! 63.3%, that’s beyond human capability, wouldn’t you say? With water: right, it’s calmed now, bringing in bananas, papayas, muesli, acacia honey, and naturally the Chardonnay of both Chablis and Champagne. Don’t overthink it, it’s the same thing – just without the bubbles. Finish: long, sweet, honeyed yet firm, almost taut. Comments: a ravishing delight, one might say. Quite unsettling to find this kind of level at such a young age, isn’t it? The Japanese Mozart of whisky? (please don’t quote me).
SGP:561 - 91 points.

Time to enjoy a classic...

Miyagikyo 13 yo 1999/2012 (61.9%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, refill butt, #124.3, All the Complexities of Summer, 509 bottles)

Here’s a lovely little monster from Suntory via Leith) … Colour: gold. Nose: bruised apples, fir buds, quince paste, sauna oil, cedarwood and sandalwood… Nothing to fault. The sherry is very, very discreet at this stage. With water: ouch, it tightens up a little, moving towards vanilla, sunflower oil and coconut. Mouth (neat): it’s remarkable how closely this aligns with Chichibu. Chardonnay, chalk, oils, fresh butter, honeysuckle, apples, lemon mint… With water: it turns into a sort of papaya and avocado juice cocktail with a splash of rum. Apologies. Finish: long, buttery, on citrus pastries and orange blossom. Pistachio cream and marzipan. Comments: a real dilemma here, water simplifies it a lot, but without water it’s a bit of a handful.
SGP:651 - 88 points.

Saburomaru ‘The Sun’ (48%, OB, Final World Blend, 2022)

Like quite a few young distilleries in Asia, in Japan but also elsewhere, the early batches were bolstered with Scottish malts and/or grains to maintain decent quality and help with cash flow. In any case, this is the final batch of that sort from Saburomaru. In the end, it’s something of a historic bottle… Colour: light gold. Nose: the fact that it’s a ‘world blend’ doesn’t take anything away from the quality, especially when everything is as transparent as it is here. Fresh baguette, wit bier, ripe apples, acacia honey, fresh barley, wee bananas… All’s well. Mouth: a slight ‘soapy and funky’ edge that brings Ben Nevis to mind (and therefore Nikka). The rest is gentle, very slightly cardboardy, with a pear and lemon note that grows steadily. Finish: good length, with salty, yeasty, peppery touches… That wee soapiness sticks around right into the tail end of the finish. Comments: I’m a little at sea here, but I’m quite sure it’s actually good. Those poor Scottish grains perhaps weren’t much help.
SGP:551 - 80 points.

(Merci, KC)

Check the index of all Japanese whiskies we've tasted so far