Original Whisky

One of Suntory’s chief blenders have come up with an original concept of fusing chocolate with Suntory’s finest malt. This concoction is an exclusive dram for WHISKY SHOP W in Osaka. The 300ml bottle has been on sale since January and has an alcohol volume of 48 percent. This exclusive bottling is limited to an amount of 1,500 bottles and retails at an arguably hefty price of 3,150 yen ($36). Sources tell me there is an adequate availability for those of you who fancy something limited. I personally have not tasted this dram so I cannot recommend it or provide tasting notes. However, I dare say it would be a good little edition to your collection being of such a limited quantity. Furthermore, this particular dram has a recommendation of being sipped neat by the experts at Suntory.

The WHISKY SHOP W is located on the first floor of the Suntory Bldg in Dojima, Osaka.

Address

Suntory Building 1F

2-1-40, Dojimahama, Kita-ku

530-0004

Osaka city

Telephone

06 – 6341 - 3123

The image of the bottle and packaging was taken from Suntory's site. Thank you.

Hibiki Commemorative Bottlings

Through occurring events and your own evaluation a lot of you maybe thinking twice about residing in Japan. I dare say there are a lot concerned and many are presently considering their future in the land of the rising sun. I do appreciate this may be a time when one cannot and does not want to read about whisky in this despair. However, I do appreciate that those of you who are choosing to leave would like to obtain some material possession from here besides the vast memories you all have.

On my recent trip back home, via Kansai airport, I came across something that I would like to share. There, in the duty free shop after passing immigration is a commemorative bottling of a 17-year-old Hibiki. This beautiful decanter is engraved in gold etchings of cranes and cherry blossoms. This limited edition decanter is retailing for 10,000 yen (about $121) and comes in an elaborate gift box with silver lining.

For aficionados of Japanese whisky and for those that would like something special this blend may be the token regardless of price. I believe these bottlings are limited but unfortunately I cannot remember the information regarding how many bottles are available.

Kansai airport also stock a variety of Yamazaki and Hakushu aged expressions along with the full Hibiki series. If you are down that way for whatever reason, or even better a friend going on holiday, please do consider.

Announcement

Hope all Whiskies R Us readers and their families living in Japan are safe and sound. The stricken news is devastating and my heart goes out to all affected. I myself had left Kobe just a day before the disaster holidaying in Australia. Apologies to all readers that there were no postings during this time. However, I do have some material to write about in coming time regarding some excellent drams from Tasmania-Australia.


For further information regarding the Japan disaster, Chris Bunting at Nonjatta has posted some interesting articles from radiation scares to earthquake updates.

Bar No Idea Rokkomichi

For the adventourous who plan to make their way down to the liquor chain Yamaya, you might want to consider stopping in for a quick dram at bar NO+IDEA. This perfectly situated bar is literally a minute from the Rokkomichi JR station and is conveniently in the same walking direction as the liquor giant.

Bar NO+IDEA may be slightly small and less formal compared to your average run of the mill out there, but it makes up for this with its memorable hospitality and great whisky selection. On any given night this little establishment, well known and frequented by locals, can have every seat in the house occupied, including its second story liar were the game Othello can be played while dramming.

Ishida-san, the captain of the ship, makes every minute of your stay worth the while and there is always an appreciative atmosphere to accompany what ever your palate may fancy. What gives this place points over other drinking establishments is the NO+IDEA kitchen which is in the adjacent building. If your felling peckish after a few malts, pop next door for one of the most tastiest bacon sandwiches your most likely to come across. In addition, the heavily dimmed, but in every way welcoming hotspot has a “NO CHARGE” policy which I believe the majority of you favour.

Get off at the JR Rokkomichi station and head out the exit adjacent to the bus stop. Turn right and walk to the first set of traffic lights (100m), on the corner is a KFC. Cross at the lights and turn right, head down towards Yamaya but turn on your second left.

Opening hours: 7:00pm~3:00am

Address

Masion Rokko 105,

Fukuda-cho 3-1-23,

Nada-ku, Kobe

Introduced by Clint A

Sherry Wood Choccies

We have all seen various kinds of liquor chocolates and whisky bonbons in our time. Some are pleasant in small quantities and some are just down right sickly. It appears chocolate manufactures (well in Japan anyway) have taken note and upped the anti to go the extra kilometre.

This exquisite, soft, truffle like chocolate is made out of an equally exquisite dram by Suntory. The Yamazaki sherry wood single malt expression, which is made in limited quantities, has been blended with some fine dark chocolate and fresh cream from ROYCE. This little sweet sensation from Hokkaido has a very strong sherry wood mouth feel but in no way overly dominant, it's delicate and silky.

Some could arguably say that mixing a limited dram such as Suntory’s 40% sherry wood expression with anything is devastating and touchy. Perhaps this intriguing article from Japan Times Online, by Nicholas Coldicott can make you think other wise. The article provides some interesting choccie and dram combinations for all of you who have an appreciation for whisky and ……well…. chocolates. Perhaps the most interesting combination (for me) was the Yoichi, no age statement (recommended to Nicholas Coldicott by Chris Bunting at Nonjatta) paired with Anthon Berg Fair Trade chocolates.

World Liquor System

Yamaya (やまや), aka World Liquor System, is Japan’s largest bottle shop retail chain. Stores are dotted throughout the country from north to south and stock a variety of domestic and international brands, including a moderate range of whisky. Stores are not specifically dedicated to malt but the majority has a reasonably sized corner with an adequate range.

Perhaps one of the best things about Yamaya is the  large stockpile and variety of domestic whisky at a very reasonable price. You can get anything from White Oak's Akashi single malt to a 25-year old expression from Yamazaki. With specialized wines as its core, the company prides itself on sourcing liquor and various accompanying food from all over the world. Yamaya boasts that it's recognized in Japan as a pioneer, both as an importer and a retailer. Perhaps that's something you can decide for your self by visiting one of the 254 (March 31,2020) stores.

 

For those who fancy an independent bottling and are looking for something special to reward your palate, there are some exceptional malts under lock and key available, with a price to go with it. As for standard bottlings of malt, a vast array can be found at any Yamaya store that will equally satisfy (presumably).

The store in the photos above is an effortless 2 stop train ride from JR Sannomiya (heading towards Osaka). Get off at the JR Rokkomichi station and head out the exit adjacent to the bus stop. Turn right and walk to the first set of traffic lights (100m), on the corner is a KFC. Here, turn right again and follow the road down another 500 meters and Yamaya is on the left hand side on the corner (at the main intersection).

Opening hours

10:00AM-9:00PM

Telephone

078-846-3095

Nikka Taketsuru 12yo Pure Malt 40%

Pure malt whisky or vatted malt is a blend of malt whiskies from different distilleries. In the case of the Taketsuru 12-year old pure malt, it's a blend of barley malt from both the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. The term "Pure Malt"means that the bottle contains no grain whisky.  

Nose: Ice cream cones, flat cola, crème caramel, stewed apples, hints of cloves, wooden boxes, barley sugar, hints of nutmeg, florally.

Taste: Initially sweet - purified apples, going into minor spice notes - nutmeg and peppery kicks. No complexities but never the less an enjoyable malt.

Finish: Medium-border line short.  

Balance: As enjoyable as this malt is, the taste did not live-up to the nose (in my opinion). Have I missed something here?

Comments: Generally don't add water to my tastings unless it's a cask strength, on this occasion added about 5~6 drops. Possibly drowned it, surely not? Besides the medium-border line short finish, I found myself having 3 drams of this in the same evening. That itself says something. 30 minutes later the empty tasting glass had some very powerful floral aromas with ash. Lovely!

Reviewed by Clint A