Ohishi Sakura Cask Finish Whisky

I reviewed the Ohishi Acacia Cask. I consider this and the Sakura Cask to be sister bottlings, as they came out at the same time and both are obviously wood-experimentation expressions. Whether they’re actually meant to be seen as a pair, I don’t know, but I certainly do. Unfortunately, the Acacia did not leave much of an impression. But I’m back to give Ohishi another crack. Nose: Ripe strawberry. Raspberry. Dried apricot. Plum and raisin. Honey. Toasted almond. Walnut. Pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream. Clove, black pepper, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice. Hot cocoa. Palate: Dried apricot and fig. Vanilla, toffee, and butterscotch. Marshmallow. Raisin and red grape. Green apple. Sugar cookie. Pistachio and almond. Peaches and cream. Pumpkin spice. Black and white pepper. Hot cocoa again. Pineapple and coconut. Finish: Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, white pepper. Pumpkin spice. Dried apricot. Almond and gala apple. Toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla. Pineapple. Dried apricot, grape, and fig. Hot cocoa. Medium length. This is quite a step up from the Acacia Cask. A lot of the same notes, but this much more cohesive overall, and the notes this has that the other lacked help bring the profile together. Admittedly, I hadn’t had any idea of how the Sakura Cask would impact the spirit. Ohishi, at least from these two bottlings, has a very distinct flavor. I’m not sure if that’s attributed to the unconventional wood used in both, or the Ohishi spirit itself. I’ll say this though; based on the quality of this Sakura Cask, I’ll be eager to try more Ohishi and Sakura cask-aged Ohishi whiskies alike. $95 was a little steep, but ultimately worth it for a limited release of this quality. Like I said earlier, this is the expression that has officially cultivated my interest in the distillery. Good to be able to add another Japanese distillery to what is currently a relatively short list. 4.0/5.

I'm not sure if my bottle opened up, but this was a crowd-pleaser, and you definitely taste the floral, 'cherry-blossom' finish, and it's light and refreshing. This is unlike any bottle I've ever tried (rice whiskey) and is a pretty good price if you found it for MSRP, perhaps even on sale for being on the shelves too long (what happens to a lot of Japanese whiskeys in America).

Smells like a wood factory where they’re cutting primarily young cherry wood. Apple spice - like a batch of fruity autumn potpourri. Burnt tangerine peel, crisp apple pie, pear, fig, candied cinnamon and vanilla on the pallet. Dry, lingering finish.

The nose smells of grass clippings and motor oil. Surprisingly, the palette is sweet, with notes of caramel and wood, but with an underlying hint of turpentine. The finish is slightly spicy and metallic.

1/7 drammers club pours. This has one of the best and most unique noses of anything I've tried with notes of cherry, floral, sandalwood, vanilla, berries, citrus, pear, apple, and chocolate.

Nose is a bit off putting ; grass clippings and motor oil (aka suburbia on a Sunday). Taste is woody with hints of anise.