I love Japan. So precise, never lazy in anything they do. Strangely, the whiskey isn’t always great. But unlike shitty American and European whiskey, you kind of have to respect even the worst Japanese whiskey because it feels intentional. It may not be my cup of green tea, but it’s certainly what the distillery intended. With all that as background, I usually avoid Japanese whiskey, unless I’m at a Japanese restaurant, as I am this evening. I saw it on the shelf and I ordered it. It wasn’t even on the drink menu. I hope it’s not $75. But if it is, it would be worth it. A vanilla butterscotch tickles your olfactory glands like you’ve buried your nose in the trunk of a ponderosa pine. The palate is uncommonly smooth and it’s hard to tell if I’m drinking something more in the scotch or bourbon family. As burnt caramel emerges, I settle on bourbon (if it could be finished in Sherry casks). The finish could be longer, but it it’s extremely mellow. I wish I had a bottle at home. This masterpiece should be called “melatonin”.
About this bottle
This whisky was announced in November 2018 alongside three other limited edition expressions: Fukano Vault Reserve 1, Fukano Vault Reserve 2 and Fukano 6000. All four limited edition expressions are a combination of whiskies between the ages of 3 and 11 years old. Some of the whisky was first matured in casks and then moved over to be kept in different tanks for up to 16 years to rest. After tasting each tank individually, the brand created four different combinations from the tanks. This release is meant to celebrate the history of Hitoyoshi, Japan. The label art was created by local artist Junishi Oda. 1,200 bottles were produced globally and it is bottled at 40.4% ABV.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 3 parsed reviews.
Light vanilla and floral notes on the nose. Palate is starts with a bitter sweetness, not quite chocolate flavor but close. Peppery and citrus finish that lingers in the mouth.
Light and caramel on the nose. A little boozy. Tastes of sweet plums.
Tastes like this
Closest flavor profiles across the whole catalog.
