Hakushu 18 Year

There are some whiskies you just have to try in your lifetime, because of the fame they have, their followers, their overall hype. You just have to experience it for yourself. That is why, everytime there is a chance to try something that is really a renowned dram, you just cant miss the opportunity. Having said that, i have tasted the mythical Hakushu 18yo, a single malt that is harder to come by (and pay) with each day that passes. Hakushu is the "Speysider" expression of Suntory, while i tend to perceive Yamazaki as a Sherry-Highland one. I have had some Hakushus before, i liked them, but i already have built this paradigm that i am going to encounter some heavy fruitiness here and no special, breathtaking aroma and tasting notes. Bottled at 43%abv, a solid burnished gold color. On the nose, it is SUPER fruity. Yes, i used caps lock on that one. Yellow apples; Very floral, very fruity. A fancy dulce de leche note anda fancy vanilla With some slight citrus notes rising. Oranges, Hay, Fruit salad, fresh fruits. Mimics an aged speysider; It is very aromatic, lots of fruits. Cranberries. After a first sip i got red fruits and lemon. It is lovely on the nose. Everything well delivered, complex an appealing. Kiwi. After a second sip the aroma was fantastic. It is like nosing a bowl of fresh, tropical and classic fruits. Not my preffered type of aroma, but i got to recognize how good it is. Fruits mixed with toffee and dulce de leche. On the palate is a lot more "human" and does not follow the promise from the nose. Apples and spices. It is spicy as soon as it touches your tongue. The spiciness is lovely. Dim vanilla. It has a spicy personality but it is not overly spicy, actually you can hold it for hours. Pears. toffee, and red apples. Aftertaste should be peaty, as promised in the description, but i really did not get it. Dry, hay, dried leaf, not very spicy, it is mouth drying like licking an envelope before closing it. A little, very dim ginger is there. There is this ghostly chocolate feeling glooming everywhere. I dont feel it smokey, nor peaty, but after three sips i did get some powerful, long lasting ginger. Overall, this one is clearly the spirit predominant in the Hibiki blend; it has the same DNA all over it. It is fancy. It is well delivered. Only the nose is complex; it surely works, it is super enjoyable, but my personal preferences are not the super fruity drams. Having said that, any score less than 90 would be unfair for something this good, but i also feel any score over 90 would be an over-evaluation of it. It is clearly why so much people love it, it is pleasant to drink, my score is an accurate 90 over 100 for it. Kanpai!

Nose- Melon, lychee fruit, mizanura oak, ripe berries, cinnamon, rosemary Palate- Juicy berries initially, green apples, ginger spice, lime juice, mizunara oak Finish- Long, juicy finish of green apples, a nice amount of spice, and a squeeze of lime juice Mmm. Fantastic whisky. The nose is excellent, with my highlights being the green apple and melon notes. The palate is sublime, light, floral and spicy. The green apples shine through again, with ginger spice and zesty lime. The finish is also very good- and surprisingly long, which isn’t what ive experienced with other Japanese Whiskies. I think I like this more than Yama 18, and that’s saying something. Absolutely delicious, very complex, and easy to drink.

A complete different level from the 12... sweeter and deeper with taste and aroma. I had this side by side with the Hakushu 12 and I neglected the 12 LOL. Made it seem like child’s play. Nose: as soon as you open and pour, you can smell the sweet beautiful honey dew melon, caramel green apple aroma - fills the room! Taste: Candied citrus hits your tongue. The melon and green apple continues with less burn than the 12 - not alcohol burn but barrel burn. Finish: honey coating sticks around in your mouth. Had me smacking my tongue and mouth for a minute. Has a sweet aftertaste of tobacco - kind of like after you smoke a real good cigar but not ash, a honeyed refreshing smoke.

Located at the foothills of the Japanese Alps, Suntory’s second distillery has always stood in the shadow of Yamazaki. Not surprisingly, Hakushu 18 attempts to be a bit like his famous brother. Notes of sherry subdue floral freshness and whiffs of smoke, and the nose unfolds beautifully with unripe papaya, incense and a touch of plum wine. Rich and intense, the taste combines fruity, herbal and spicy flavors with just a hint of peat. Lingering spices, licorice and re-emerging freshness characterize the semidry finish. A worthy silver medal for a fine dram! RATING: 4.0/5.0 stars ≙ 88 pts → FIRST-CLASS

The short version of my notes – "Islay Lite". The long version... wafting from my careful pour were hints of bandages and smoke. Sipping it yielded sweetness, peat, almost a spiced rum character. Great smooth finish, long and pleasant, well-balanced and well-rounded. Excellent! If you find Islay scotches to be too much, this is probably just right.

We've had this bottle 4 years now. It was bought due to miscalculating the yen to pound conversion at the airport and obviously cost a lot more than expected 🤣 regardless it is delicious, smooth, smoky but chill with it, and as good a whisky as I'll likely ever have, saved for special occasions. Probably won't ever buy another though.