The nose is filled with that old-timey, diligently polished wood note common in Japanese shrines and mizunara matured whiskies; within the wood exists hints of muscovado sugar and pepper. Pine wood and a slight incense smoke give a calming touch, with maple syrup and a wee smoky barbecue note in time.
Palate & Finish:
Brown sugar and floral honey on the palate with a burst of sichimi spices. The floral note now opens up with a touch of beeswax and the nectar melting on the tip of the tongue, it’s rich with a nuttiness to go with it.
A fragrant finish with the oak characters quite evident, a touch of earthy espresso with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder before the wood influenced bitterness eventually taking over.
Thoughts:
A well considered dram that tries very hard to contain the spices, relying on the complex flavours that are dexterously put together to draw the attention away from the spices but the delivery is ultimately let down by the finishing which comes across as a tad drying..
✓
–Nicholas
WhiskNick 