Monthly Archives: October 2015

Exploring Japanese whiskies – Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu ‘The Floor Malted’ 3 year 50.5%

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By now, it is quite clear that I’m a fan of Japanese whiskies. Alas two things are increasingly becoming a challenge – accessibility and affordability.

Six years ago, Suntory came to Mumbai for a trade fare to test the waters for distributing to India. I fell in love with their Hakushu even more than the lovely Yamazaki and Hibiki whiskies I could more readily obtain and had sampled many times before.

I remember following up to see if there was progress on their entering the Indian market – and more specifically the Hakushu range – at the time the answer was no.

So I would track down the nuanced character of the Hakushu 18 year in places like Singapore until the prices sky-rocketed beyond my bracket.

Since then, my interest in exploring Japanese whiskies hasn’t abated and through our fabulous Mumbai whisky tasting groups, from time to time, someone manages to snag an interesting bottle. Our journey expanded well beyond Suntory’s offerings to also explore Nikka and Ichiro’s Malts and more!

The challenge is that what we find and enjoy today is likely not available tomorrow. Nearly all of the Japanese whiskies we’ve sampled over the last few years are now found on auctions not directly through reliable sources like The Whisky Exchange or La Maison du Whisky.

For example, this delightful Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu ‘The Floor Malted’ 3 year, may be relatively well-known but not so easy to find. So read on… as you may not be able to track down a bottle… which is a pity!

Chichubu The Floor Malted

Ichiro’s Malt – Chichibu The Floor Malted 3 year, 50.5%

  • Colour – Light, young and sassy
  • Nose – Bright fresh peaches, dried apricot and coconut… after airing a bit, bananas and sweet honeyed caramel also made an appearance
  • Taste – Strong, dry and nutty with a coffee bean bite, bitter-sweet and very woody
  • Finish – Woody, coffee lingered
  • Water? Too piquant for most, water spoilt it with even only a few drops

Reactions from blind tasting – Scottish or not? Must be matured in burboun casks, hence the honey and fruit, age indeterminate… but definitely interesting

The reveal – A more difficult to find Japanese offering that is a mere three years old! From 2009, bottled in 2012. We sampled bottle # 8791 of 8800.

Originally tasted October 2014 together with Blair Athol 16 year and Glen Deveron 20 year.

It was, more than many other of our tasting sessions, a perfect example of how age is not the most important factor in producing an interesting whisky. The character of the new make spirit, cask quality and care in maturation can enable a young upstart of only three years to challenge a mature 20 year old.

Interested in exploring other Ichiro’s Malt?

And Suntory?

Or go discover Nikka‘s offerings…

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Springbank Vintage 1996 55.8% Cask No 269

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Springbank is a family owned distillery in Campbeltown. So far, I’ve had good experiences with whiskies from these folks.

  • A few years ago we sampled the delightful Springbank 18 year, paired with desert.
  • And long before I even imagined recording tasting notes, a Longrow had a most enjoyable peaty time in my whisky cabinet til the last drop was polished off!
  • During my last trip to Singapore, I enjoyed their Hazelburn 12 year and was sorely tempted to pick up the Hazelburn 8 year 1st bottling.

So when a Springbank was part of Canadian stash from my aunt and uncle? Let’s just say, I was looking forward…

Springbank Vintage 1996

Springbank Vintage 1996

Springbank Vintage 1996 55.8% Cask No 269

  • Colour – Amber
  • Nose – Rich, slightly medicinal, honeycomb, ripe plum, vanilla, toffee
  • Taste – Plums burst into chewy raisins, cereal, oily, a bit spicy, there is strength here, a toughness of character that is earthy, lots of dried fruits and a hint of cinnamon bark, meaty
  • Finish – Very different kind of bitter chocolate, burnt quality, leather… think dark chocolate covered raisins with a dusting of cinnamon, much longer than anticipated…
  • Water – Punches up the sweet quotient in the most delicious way! As expected, kicks up the spice too but then the chewy bark-like quality on the palate mellowed and gained a toffee element to cover the yummy dried fruits and berries
  • Overall – Bold and beautiful! This is no light spring dance or sunny summer romp, instead this whisky is bursting with the golden hues and blazing fire of autumn. In short – I want more!

Unfortunately I do not know what year this was bottled, however there enough going on here to warrant paying attention, regardless of age.

There also were no official tasting notes available, however I did find a few other folks with their observations about other 1996 vintages:

Can’t wait to dig in to the next one from the Canadian sampling stash…

Canadian stash

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Compass Box – Hedonism 43%

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I seem to be on a bit of a Compass Box roll… til date have sampled: Asyla, Great King’s Cross Artist’s Blend and Glasgow Blend, Juveniles, Spice Tree, The Peat Monster… and now Hedonism.

This sample came compliments of the Canadian stash from my aunt and uncle – fellow whisky aficionados with their own whisky tasting group running for more than a decade.

Compass Box Hedonism (Whisky Lady's uncle)

Compass Box Hedonism (Whisky Lady’s uncle)

Hedonism 43% – Blended grain scotch whisky

And here goes my impressions:

  • Nose – Lots of coconut oil, light and perfumed, sweet vanilla flowers, subtle, over time a light white chocolate emerged, then an overly sweet marzipan
  • Taste – A slightly odd quality… not so much oak more like a ‘woody’ coconut, a bit herbal, very soft with a bitter edge, like faded cinnamon bark
  • Finish – Very dry, light yet somehow hangs in there, a curl of oak and something else I simply wasn’t able to pinpoint
  • Water – Adds a slightly spicy element, creamy, the pronounced coconut remains but a tinge subdued

Interestingly, we had the dregs of another bottle of Hedonism passed around at the end of our August Whisky Ladies session. It had been transferred into a small glass jar… and I found the coconut oil so predominant we actually speculated whether the container may have contaminated the sample.

Clearly it had not as this one from my aunt and uncle had that same quality.

In some ways, it reminded me of my first foray into the land of single grain whisky from Chita. Yet while the Chita is quite ‘technical’ in its soft, delicate, floral nature, Hedonism has more of an ‘edge,’ there is personality peaking through that coconut and a sense of age.

I wanted to love it as I do many Compass Box offerings. I was pre-disposed to find it delightful. It isn’t.

Yet it is intriguing. Unusual. Difficult to describe. Completely unique. And it grows on you… sip after sip…

Do I like it? After a bit of warming up and aligning to its special qualities… yes!

Would it be 1st priority for future purchasing? Perhaps not but it is absolutely worth trying if you get a chance.

For a bit more info, here’s what the folks at Compass Box say about Hedonism
  • Flavour Descriptors – Elegant flavours of vanilla cream, toffee, coconut.
  • Recommendations – As an aperitif, serve with a small amount of chilled water. Late in the evening, serve neat. Also makes a great whisky sour.
  • Distillery Sourcing – Will vary according to batch but typically whiskies from the following distilleries: Cameron Bridge, Carsebridge, Cambus, Port Dundas or Dumbarton.
  • Wood – 100% first-fill American oak barrels or rejuvenated American oak Hogsheads.
  • Bottling Details – 43%. Not chill filtered. Natural colour.
And here’s what others say:
Canadian stash

Canadian stash…

Other Compass Box treats sampled:

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on:

Rare Japanese whisky – Kurazaiwa’s Asama 46%

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Much as I’m a fan of most of the Japanese whiskies I’ve sampled til date, the price tag keeps getting steeper and steeper. And that is if you can even find what you seek!

In my whisky quest in Tokyo last year, something from the discontinued Kurazaiwa distillery was on my ‘wish list’ however I did not have any luck and was advised to try auctions…

So when my aunt and uncle offered a sample of Asama, I jumped at the opportunity!

Asama (Whisky Lady's uncle)

Asama (Whisky Lady’s uncle)

Here goes for the Asama 46% (Karuizawa 1999+2000)

  • Colour – Burnished copper
  • Nose – Musty and mysterious – not in a bad way. Raisins, a little citrus. As it airs, has a distinctive sweet almond paste aroma, the lightest curl of tobacco, definite sherry influence
  • Taste – Warm, chewy, lots of raisins, that same musty element, perhaps mushrooms? Almost fudge-like or creamy daifuku
  • Finish – Oddly tea like… and more raisins and berries
  • Water – I almost didn’t add…  and then honestly wished I hadn’t. Just a few drops kicked up the spice but dulled the more interesting elements and drowned that oddly appealing tea-like element in the finish
  • Overall – While interesting, it certainly isn’t exceptional

This Asama was selected from 1999 and 2000 vintages, bottled and distilled at the now discontinued Karuizawa Distillery in its last two years of operation. Aged 11 years, it is part of the stock purchased by Number One Drinks Company.

The name ‘Asama’ comes from Mount Asama, an active volcano near where the Karuizawa distillery operated from 1955 – 2000. There have been a series of ‘Spirit of Asama’ released in small quantities over the years, of which this ‘Asama’ is considered entry-level for this increasingly rare Japanese whisky coveted by collectors.

It is certainly distinctive, however is it worth the fuss about Karuizawa? Yes and no… it is teasingly different and makes one want to explore what else Karuizawa has to offer.

However is this particular expression exceptional? Not really.

Do I have any regret about tasting it? Heck no!

What a treat and many thanks to my fabulous aunt and uncle back in Canada for the sample.

Canadian stash

Canadian stash…

Here’s what others say:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

Whisky samples – the Canadian ‘score’

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During my June – July 2015 trip to Canada, my ever so amazing aunt and generous uncle decided to indulge their niece in a shared passion – whisky tasting.

I’m a novice next to them. They’ve had a successful whisky tasting club in their home town of Fort Frances, Ontario for years now… As in approximately 15 years.

And lucky me – they cracked open their collection to bring me a few samples! Here is a glimpse into this fabulous ‘goodie pack’:

It is quite the collection of baby jar whisky samples… just check these beauties out!

Canadian stash

Pssst… a year later, I managed to acquire another Canadian score!

From time to time, you can also find other whisky related updates and activities on: