Hatozaki Japanese Blended Whisky

ES/EN ES - Suave, un tanto dulce y cremoso para ser un blended, pero con un acabado muy equilibrado. Lo más sorprendente es que al ponerlo huele ligeramente a sake, con reminiscencias alcohólicas, pero en boca no tiene nada que ver. Cuando se oxígena se puede notar un olor tenue a caramelo. En boca entra suave, pica al poco y deja un toque dulce muy ligero al final. No hay casi matices de garganta. Se hace muy suave, aunque no tiene nada que lo destaque más allá del equilibrio. + El olor a sake es súper llamativo. Bueno para sorprender a la nariz, aunque no del gusto de todos ------------- EN - Soft, somewhat sweet and creamy for a blended, but with a very balanced finish. The most surprising thing is that when you put it it smells slightly of sake, with alcoholic reminiscences, but in the mouth it has nothing to do with it. When oxygenated you can notice a faint smell of caramel. The palate enters soft, itches a little and leaves a very light sweet touch at the end. There are almost no throaty undertones. It is made very smooth, although it does not have anything that stands out beyond the balance. + The smell of sake is super striking. Good to surprise the nose, although not to everyone's taste

Color: Pale champagne silk (Pinot Grigio), white wine, extra light olive oil Nose: Botanical/herbal (gin-like). Light Heather honey. Grainy young smelling. Reminds me of barrel aged gin. Nose doesn't scream 100% malted barley like they state on the box and back of the bottle... Screams grain blend. Disappointing. Palate: Far superior to the nose. Heather honey, vanilla, young slight alcohol burn; hint of milk chocolate. Slight drying (think dark cocoa and the white of an orange peel). Whips of smoke (peat?). Salted caramel and brine. Ever so slight Macadamia nut. Water ruins the experience and makes it flat. Only taste sweet honey and slight smoke after the water. Finish: Very short and drying with cocoa dryness developing. Overall: 70/100 or 2 stars Would you order it: No Would you drink it if offered: If there was no other whisky available, yes otherwise no. Would you recommend it: No Better stuff at the $69 price point. Everyone's trying to ride the Yamazaki and Hibiki success wave for profit.

Nose: custard, matchbox, light bit of yeast. Has a sweet sweaty kind of smell that’s also a bit like butterscotch. Very heavy on the grain notes - porridge, malted milk, etc. Fruit notes are like that chalky banana candy, very soft but very sweet. Palate: Smooth, very grainy but not necessarily in a bad way. Big sake note, lightest bit of peppery spice, some round fruity notes but mostly barley sugar type thing. Bit of the charred stuff starts to come through as it opens. Finish: agree with MoM that it becomes nutty on the finish. Overall: like the Nikka days, not as bad as expected. Maybe I’ve got some issues with blends I need to work through in therapy. I actually quite like the sweet grainy notes and don’t mind the sweatier ones on the nose. Looking forward to trying their pure malt.

A balanced, blended Japanese Whisky by Kaikyo Distillery in Japan made from a marriage of both malt & grain whiskies; including whisky distilled in Japan & imported stocks; aged for up to 12 years in many different cask types, including sherry, bourbon & Mizunara oak; before being bottled at 40.0% ABV. It has a rich & delicate birth with notes of cereal grains, nectarine, banana, lemongrass & spices; while a complex life adds notes of citrus, honey, sherry, mizunara, barrel char & orange blossom; that leads to a tropical & oily death with notes of nuts, pineapple & malt. 'The whisky is named after the Hatozaki lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in Japan.' August 2020 / 2022

A pleasant surprise! Nose: Sweet (vanilla) and sour (grain and funk) Palette: Begins delicate and sweet (vanilla). I haven’t been able to tell what type of barrels they use. I wondered if they use a bit of Mizunara, but they would probably say so if they did. The initial taste is eventually largely dominated by peat and spice. Finish: Peat lingers for a long, warm finish. Though this blends whiskeys up to 12 years old, it tasted a bit young. Still, for the price, I’d be interested I getting a bottle. However, I’d be interested in trying the Hatozaki Small Batch given the small price increase and the fact it explicitly lists Mizunara. #7 Japanese advent calendar 2022

Nose - smells like tequila mixed with sake Taste - what a shocker compared to the nose, flowery and light/crisp Finish - honey all day, light nip on the tongue but is short lived Score - 3.5 Scoring Legend 5.0 - Outstanding, unmatched to others 4.5 - Excellent, I will always keep a bottle in stock if possible 4.0 - Very good, quite enjoyable to drink, can consider as a solid choice 3.5 - Good, would taste again 3.0 - Average 2.5 - Acceptable, still drinkable 2.0 - Inferior, able to drink but not enjoyable 1.5 and below—wouldn’t drink again unless I am desperate