Turning Japanese

Last Friday, Caskstrength.net was asked by the lovely folks at The Japan Society to put together a little tasting for a group of keen whisky drinkers. The event was to coincide with the opening of a brand new restaurant in Bishopsgate called Tsuru, which specialises in excellent, modern Japanese cuisine. Both Joel and I had to get our thinking caps on and pair up a whisky menu, which would hopefully compliment the wonderful range of dishes restaurant owner Emma and her head chef had dreamed up, whilst not undermining or overpowering the subtle flavours that Japanese food is famous for.

Across the 5 courses which were served we went with the following:

Vegetable Tempura (Aubegine and Asparagus)
(Paired with Yamazaki 12 yo)

Chicken Yakitori (Marinated chicken, served on skewers with a sweet and spicy sauce)
(Paired with Yoichi 12 yo)

Cornish Crab California Roll Sushi
(Paired with Miyagikyou 10 yo)

Japanese pickle Maki- inari tofu and sweetened Shiitake
(Paired with Hibiki blended 12 yo)

Toasted Seame Mochi Ice
(Paired with Yamazaki 18yo)

The fascinating thing about Japanese whisky is the incredibly unique flavour profile- no matter what age, type of maturation or indeed the inherent style (either peated or non-peated) it always has that 'quintessential' taste of Japan. There are Scotch whiskies that when tasted blind, could lead you to believe they're from another continent entirely, but you really know you're in for something different altogether with Japanese whisky.

After apologising for some of our pronunciation errors, the pairing went down a storm, with the sweet vegetable and creamy batter of the tempura going very well with the light, sharp and fruity Yamazaki 12 and the subtle smokiness of the Yoichi bringing out the lightly grilled style of the chicken dish.

However... our favourite (and I think we can speak for many of the guests in attendance...) was the pairing of Yamazaki 18yo and the Mochi. If, like us, you'd never come across this intriguing dessert before, try nipping down to your nearest Japanese food store- they are a taste sensation!! The dry, but rich fruity flavour of the Yamazaki 18 complimented this sweet (and vaguely rice pudding flavoured) ice cream dish perfectly and we were soon down to our last drop of whisky and Mochi's in no time at all!!


One of the guests menu's with scores

All in all, a superb night. For those of you who have in their collections a Japanese whisky, be it a light and summery Yamazaki, Miyagikyou or Hibiki, a peated Hakushu or Yoichi or even a flavour bomb like Karuizawa - give 'em a try with some food- you'll find the combination of flavours absolutely irresistable!

For more info on the Japan Society click here:

For more info on the excellent Tsuru restaurant click here:

Some Splendid Suntory Specials...

Phew! what a busy week in the spirits world!

The start of the week saw some of the cream of the worlds tipples packed into the vast halls of Londons ExCel centre. Then Thursday, it was the flavours of the Orient that got Caskstrength's tastebuds in a twist with the release of Suntory's newest blended masterpiece- Hibiki 12 years old.

At a suitably oriental venue (the Nobu restaurant in the London Metropolitan Hotel) we were lucky enough to meet some of the men behind the sensational dynasty of Hibiki blends and got to taste some seriously interesting cask samples, which perfectly demonstrated how Japan continues to innovate and produce some of the world's finest whisky.

Our tasting mat contained cask samples from an array of differing styles of Suntory whisky- from an intensely sherried Yamazaki 14 year old (which I would dearly love to get a bottle of!!) A Hakushu distilled in 1994 and matured in a white oak Puncheon followed, which had a superb creaminess, mixed with fragrant lavender, and then- 'Malt X'- which turned out to be a another 14 year old Yamazaki, matured intensely for 2 years in a cask containing plum liqueur- one of the many whiskies which make up the Hibiki 12 year old.

General Manager and Senior Blender Shinji Fukuyo and his team have expertly married together grain and malt whiskies of up to 30 years old and then matured for a time in 'Umeshu ' - Japanese plum liqueur casks. But their innovation doesn't end there, for as Seiichi Koshimizu, Suntory's chief blender points out; 'our goal was to create a uniquely Japanese whisky that is mellower and smoother than any other premium 12 year old whisky in the world'
The secret to Hibiki 12's purity is filtration through bamboo charcoal- which is very much evident from the first sip. This is actually the 2nd time we've tried Hibiki 12 (firstly in our recent round up of Whisky Live) but there was no stopping us diving back in for a second taste!

Hibiki 12 year old blended whisky - 43% vol - 70cl

Nose: Hugely fruity and, dare I say it- plummy (no surprise there) with slight wafts of fragrant licorice, rice wine, honeysuckle and when you dig deeper, some wonderful buttery/creamy notes. Given a bit of time in the glass, an array of other sweet notes come through, such as honey, lots of vanilla pod and country fudge notes. Sensational stuff.

Palate: Well, this is really where the whisky comes into its own- the delicate, yet rich texture in the mouth is about as smooth as i've ever tasted. Not a trace of alcohol burn in the slightest, just layers of smooth malt and grain, with more of that licorice coming back, leaving your mouth with a clean, fresh taste. That may sound like a tooth paste, but mark my words, try this and you'll be really amazed at the clarity it has.

Finish: The finish has some lengthy, spiced notes and this is where the first element of dryness comes through- nothing too oaked, just well balanced and throughly enjoyable.

Overall: We loved the small sample we tried at whisky Live and if anything, to try it for a second time only highlights just what a quality whisky this really is. Contender for our Best In Glass awards this year?..... oh yes...

Many thanks to Hiro Miyamori, Takeshi Tsuruoka and Shinji Fukuyo from Suntory for this insightful tasting and long may they continue to make great whisky!

lost in translation? not with these drams...

COUGHSPLUTTERCOUGH.... oh, urrrggghh.
The cold to end all colds has descended on Caskstrength towers and it isn't showing any signs of leaving soon. The last time this happened, we were due to taste some sensational old White Horse and had to give it a miss. Damn it!!!

Right, time for a cunning plan. Our taste buds and nose holes need to return ASAP! As coincidences go, we just took possession of a bottle of King's Ginger Liqueur and that gave us a splendid idea for a life-giving cold remedy;

2 parts Highland Park 12 year old,
2 parts ginger liqueur,
fresh lemon juice,
a dash of honey and
a little shake of Angostura Bitters for good measure.

Heat gently over a steady flame and decant into a good sized tumbler. Consume steadily for the next 20 minutes and wait for the aromatic effects to kick in. Normal service will be resumed within the hour!!

And we're back. That feels so much better!

The plan was to seamlessly broadcast notes on some wonderful Japanese drams tasted over the last few days- then this damn cold hit and foiled everything. Still, the samples don't hang around here for long and we wanted to get a couple of posts up before our first birthday -keep an eye on the site over the next few days as we'll be posting the results of the Bowmore competition winner, alongside some wonderful celebratory tasting notes for one of our favourite drams of all time.

After previously featuring some excellent whiskies by Karuizawa and Chichibu, we bring you some other Asian delicacies, this time from Nikka, Yamazaki and Hibiki. Clearly, the bar is set ridiculously high for Japanese whisky at the moment- and these few examples don't disappoint in the slightest...

Nikka – Whisky From The Barrel- NAS (it might have one, but I can’t read Japanese!)- 51.4%- 500ml

Before we start on this one, we have to make a few points:

1. This bottle is beautiful. Seriously cool. Square, dumpy and interesting, with a screw top. It’s a nightmare to pour from for the first couple of drams. But once you’re beyond that (and that’ll be pretty darn quick!) it’s fine.
It’s just unlike any other bottle of whisky you’ll buy and will look fab on your table top.

2. The price. Okay, it’s only 500ml, but this just over £20 a bottle. Yes! £20. Think about that. It’s from the cask. In Japan. They bottle it, stick it on a boat and months later it ends up on a shop shelf in England. For just over £20. 51.4% Japanese whisky! Let’ see what it tastes like:

Nose: Very interesting nose. Dark and brooding and full of fresh wood. Really yummy. Dried apricots, mandarin. I wish I knew how old this was, as it smells old. Really old. Musty but fresh, like very well kept wooden tables you get in members clubs in London. No leather or musty books like you get with some “old” smelling whisky. The deeper you nose, the more you get: green apples. Peanut butter. This is goooood....

Palate: In it goes, big build up with that nose! Hummm... not the kick you would expect from a whisky at 51.4% but there is depth there. Not big sherry depth, more of a melange of interesting little flavours that make up depth; strawberries, Marmite, mint, pork scratchings, dark chocolate coco-powder (like the stuff on top of cappuccino's). Very interesting and tasty.

Finish: Lots of red chilli on the back of the throat, followed by soothing and clearing menthol which makes way for the beautifully strong oak to shine through.

Overall: This is not a tame whisky. The fresh mints, strawberry and coco powder make for a wonderful palate and the menthol at the end works so well with the red chilli. But the nose is the biggest surprise for this, making for a wonderful start. At again the ridiculous price of around £20, this is a bloody fantastic buy. Get it for a mate for a pressie and snaffle a bit away when they are not looking. They’ll think you bought them something a lot more expensive so you look like a great friend, plus you get to try it for free!! He he!!

Yamazaki - 18 year old - 43% - 70cl

Having tried 10 and the 12 year old's some time ago, I was unsure what to expect here. Whilst reasonable whiskies, they didn't inspire surprise or delight, like some of the other less well known Japanese whiskies available. Will this present a significant step up from its younger brothers?

Nose: Instantly open on the nose, this bears all the hall marks of a classic Japanese whisky. Mossy, musty, rich sherry, dark orange marmalade, with loads of polished rosewood and big spice. Striking similarities with the much older Karuizawa single casks we reviewed here last year.

Palate: Slightly rubbery, leading into rich, thick dark sugar and milky coffee, with an extra sweet backing of barley sugar. The sweetness dies away giving a very well balanced back palate of cereal and starchy overtones.

Finish: The starch develops into buttery potato, with sherbet and more sweetness. Very lengthy and enjoyable.

Overall: Such a huge step up from the 12, which I have a half-drunk bottle of, languishing unceremoniously in the drinks cabinet. Its rich texture gives the impression of a much older and wiser whisky, which is to be commended but, considering this is nearly £60 a bottle, it does beg the question of whether there are other options which put it could put it in the shade.

Suntory Hibiki 12 year old blend- 43% abv - 70cl - exclusive - released in May!!

Fresh off the back of its prize winning splendor, Hibiki are back with something slightly younger, but nonetheless effective. For those of you have tried the 30 year old blend, you'll know just how brilliantly adept our friends at Suntory have become at making a first class dram. Will this younger chap follow suit to claim the family silver too??

Nose: A huge hit of freshly pressed apple juice greets the nostrils with a fanfare and never really leaves, following up with a finely tuned procession of heather honey, waxed floors and zesty lemons. If I hadn't already shifted my cold, this would probably be the dram to kick it up the arse.

Palate: Wow, a super smooth swish across the tongue, giving fine sherry notes, sweet barley sugar and wholesome cereals. There's so much in here, one can only guess how many excellent casks have gone into making this work.

Finish: Finely tuned heather, cedar and spiced apples complete the circle - for a younger blend, this really has the wisdom of a much older gent.

Overall: Well, they did it again. Another excellent example of blending which will no doubt, win further awards this year, after it's released in May. A great whisky in its own right- and a great way to end this trio of tantalising Japanese delights. As they may say in Japan after a top dram...'Hontou ni ureshii' !!

new release notes from Hurlingham...

Wow! what a hectic weekend of whisky activity, folks.  Firstly, Friday saw caskstrength trying a few exceptional older treats which boggled the mind and left us gasping for more...(more of which later) 

Then, this Saturday we visited the splendid surroundings of the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, SW London for the Whisky Magazine's annual bash, Whisky Live.  Having played a few games of tennis at Hurlingham in the past (unbelievably, your humble writer used to be quite sporty!) I was thrilled at the prospect of tasting a fair few fine whiskies and bourbons.  I was not disappointed.  Despite fewer exhibitors present this year, the hall was packed and was apparently a sell-out. It is my pleasure to give you an update on a few superb new releases, coming over the next few months:

First up, Glenmorangie and something new, juicy and exclusive to the duty free market!

Glenmorangie Sonnalta - 46% abv - exclusive to the duty free market.

The lovely Annabel Meikle gave us a sneak preview of this young bottling of Glenmorangie and it certainly played a merry dance on the palate! Finished in Pedro Ximenez  sherry casks for just under a year, it is likely to be available from April onwards:

Nose: Lots of tropical fruits including banana, pineapple and passion fruit.  Lovely floral hints develop over time and a few heady whiffs from the PX casks, but nothing overpowering.  Superbly fragrant stuff.

Palate: More floral elements, coupled with light vanilla note, Banoffee pie and a slight cigar note leading into dryness.  

Finish: Back to the tropics again, as the fruit just keeps getting bigger and more concentrated.  

Overall:  This would be a super whisky for that perfect beach moment, under a palm tree as the Caribbean sea lap gently at your sun tanned toes. Worth taking a trip to Heathrow for, even if you're only flying to Manchester!!

Next up, the sister bottling of something we've been banging on about for some time... will it be as much of a looker? 

We have eulogised long and hard about the delights of the Longrow 18 year old bottling. It disappeared off the shelves faster than a free ticket for Slumdog Millionaire and left us wondering where we'd get another bottle from.  It very nearly won our Best in Glass awards last year, so when I heard there was to be a release of a Springbank 18 year old - in identical packaging my eyes immediately widened and my palate started getting ready. just 1,000 cases will be available world wide, which is considerably more than the Longrow, but expect it to sell out in no time at all when it is released later this month.

Springbank 18 year old - 46%  - 70cl - limited to 1,000 cases

Nose: lots of dark brown sugar, slightly spirity mixed with a hint of wet wool, lanolin and lemon zest. Also something perfumed?  Part of me wanted to dab this behind my ears as well as drink it.

Palate: Sherried notes (the balance is 80/20 sherry casks to Bourbon) mixed with rose water, sliced apple and fudge.  Hints of malt, cereal and something slightly farm yardy, but all unmistakably Springbank. 

Finish: relatively short, with more dried orchard fruit and green shoots. 

Overall: Something really strikes me about this bottling and i'm pleased to grab one whilst it's still around.  Whether it will outstrip the Longrow for me in the long run is tricky to say but, rest assured, we'll try to bring you a side-by-side tasting at some point soon!

Stay tuned over the coming days - we'll be ringside for an epic 'Battle of the Peated Monsters' and will be bringing you news of 3 great new japanese whiskies, including the new Hibiki 12 year old blend! will it live up to the current legend in the making?