Tastes

Enchanting nose of warm and compact corn, rye and malted barley. Really, the three mash bills are so tightly intertwined that it creates an entirely new nosing experience. On the palate, there is a bit of heat, which is to be expected at the near barrel proof bottling, but the character of the whiskey pops out within a few seconds, bringing a round, chewiness of aged corn whiskey enlightened by sparkling rye spice and a touch of malted barley to smooth things over and form the powerhouse trio. After a minute, the wood creeps in, giving a darkening autumnal quality to the affair. To be honest, each sip exceeds the last. A marvel of blending that is unique within the whiskey universe. Highly recommended.

Richly endowed nose of deep oak and sweet corn, overlaid with some peppery baking spices. Interestingly, there's a lot of flavor at the front of the palate, with a sweet molasses character that carries the weight of the more subtle flavors of wood, corn, rye and young tobacco. The finish is medium, with a lot of the high notes ending toward the back of the throat. Everything concludes with a slight tannic bitterness on the tongue.

Light and sensuous malt nose, with a delicate hint of buttered toast. On the palate, things are round, smooth and almost creamy. Lots of sweet malt and mild wood, with no smoke. Akin more to a Canadian whisky than American or Scottish, this is something entirely unlike other FUJI whiskies we've reviewed. Very drinkable, but at the same time, no one flavor aspect stands out. A fine spirit that is perfect for a Japanese Highball.

Perky corn notes punctuated by a hearty dose of oak char. Strong and vibrant nose. Sweet on the tongue with some rye spice kicking it up a notch. A full flavor with a rich texture leaning heavily on the cask to add depth. Fairly long finish, ending with wood. Very tasty and well done.

Sweet high notes of corn, with a lighter engagement of barrel influence. Fresh, clean and everything you'd want in a bourbon. The flavor is quite different from the Yellow Leaming, instead having honeyed sweetness, and surprisingly, orange blossom on the tongue. The finish is medium long, ending on a mildly spice driven note. Almost delicate, but self-assured, this is a fine sipping whiskey.

A whole lot of cocoa on the nose, which is singularly surprising. Just under this, there are dark stone fruits like black cherry, as well as blackberry and even a hint of strawberry. On the tongue, the fruitiness continues, with a warming sweetness and an almost dessert-like spectre. The body is medium, with a lot going on in the middle of the palate, along with incredibly high notes at the back of the tongue. The wood comes through after a minute and seems slightly bitter, but offsets the sweetness originally noted. The finish is shorter than expected, and ends on a woody, dry note. Definitely a unique expression.

Remarkable depth on the nose, with bright and crisp high rye notes imbued with a rock solid woody goodness. Excellent mouthfeel and exemplary flavor profile. Round, smooth, spicy, char forward and intensely flavor-packed. As the taste settles in, more rye notes become apparent, leaving no doubt as to what the mash bill contained. A long, long finish with prickly spice leaving a final warming adieu. For rye fans, look no further. This is the one for 2023.