Do you think of whisky when someone mentions "Japan"? Me neither. Despite the flood of sushi, sake, sumo wrestlers, karate and samurai that come to mind, whisky is not something that is distinctly Japanese.... until you try Japanese whisky!
The Hakushu 12 Year Old is one of the more affordable Japanese whiskies (and by affordable I mean expensive when compared to whisky from other parts of the world) so I may not be tasting the cream of the crop of Japanese whiskies just yet. No matter, because this whisky is excellent. It is not incredible, but it is very good!
Nose
This whisky delivers a lovely snap of malty goodness. Rich and vibrant, a
light marzipan wafts up into the air accompanied by dried grass and dried tea
leaves with some sweetness in the backdrop in the form of banana. With water
this whisky delivers lush green pastures and the smell of fishing on the lake!
Fresh, nice!
Taste
With a nice softness this whisky greets the tongue like an
old friend, caressing it firmly with a nice long story following the greeting.
Lots happening, nuts and citrus (sharp citrus in fact) glow vibrantly on the tongue. The bitterness harmoniously blends with the sweet, like a tangy passionfruit.
Finish
The finish is extremely soft and long, with no burn or unpleasantness.
Overall
Very good whisky, with just the right bite but it stumbles a little as it leans towards the bitter and sharp side a little too much. This means that the experience is unbalanced and a little boring after a while.
No comments:
Post a Comment