KUJIRA 8 Year Ryukyu Whisky

It's rice, and I shouldn't be thinking this is a "rice wine or sake" as the distiller insists, but this is not whisky. Right away you are hit with sunscreen scents of coconut, orange blossom, and other tropical fruits. Is this a bad, thing? Usually not, but there is a fake tropical fruit presence that ruins this for me the whole time. It overwhelms it from the notes one seeks out in a good whisky. The palate is slight oak, raisin, and cranberry - but not the normal notes of whisky - with an overwhelming anise/licorice finish. Not a deep or long finish, but overwhelming. There is just something different about this and it does not translate to good for me. There is a continued fruitiness throughout that might be the sherry but it is not the normal notes I am used to - it is almost fake/sunscreen again for me. Overall, it is sweet and smooth and worth a taste to simply ponder what you are drinking. At $130 or so a bottle, it is definitely not worth buying. I have enjoyed many a Japanese whisky but this does not work for me at all.

Nose is toffee, apple juice, bright mango sweetness, and umami. Taste is a bit thin. It's bright, sherry impact with an odd mushroom-like umami in the middle with a somewhat skunky red wine barrel tannin. Finishes warm with warm bourbon barrel spice. Surprisingly more dry throughout than the nose would suggest. I think more body and sweetness would help this one out tremendously. Very odd. Not my thing, but it may be up someone's alley.

I'm a big fan of bourbon, and this one was a good fit for me. Classic caramel and vanilla, the wood really came through on the nose. It was delicate when I tasted it with hints of caramel apple and a funky little spice I've never had before. Very enjoyable.

A very sweet, fruity, semi-tropical aroma: peaches, banana, and figs, mostly. The taste is surpassingly dry by contrast, with toffee notes but also a significant mineral aftertaste. Nice and complex - definitely worth a taste.

Nose - burned toffee, French vanilla ice cream, flowers and dried fruit Taste - hazelnuts, cream, ethanol, a touch of dark dried fruit, small herbal kick Finish - starts sweet and goes really dry, lingers for a bit, mild burn

No Age Statement (3+ Years?): Beautiful caramel and burnt sugar throughout, with constant salty brine underneath. Fruit, apple, pear. The depth and array of flavor are both on point, would search this out for sure.