Tastes

The final glass from the bottle. I've really enjoyed embracing this unique drink. It doesn't taste or smell like ANY other whiskey that I've had - including many Japanese offerings. It can seem overpoweringly floral at some level but once you look past that (ice/water?) it presents an vivid and unique profile that has helped expand my appreciation of whiskey in general. Its going to offend some palates with a blend of light plum sweetness, flowers, and deep echoes of smoke. Try it if you are wanting to wander outside the box!

Without overthinking it - it's light and easy to drink. It has a warm and round flavor that is very soft on the tongue and the warmth of the sherry cask is the dominate feature. It wanders into 'delicate' which is a word I seldom use to describe whiskey.

Nose: Malted barley, cinnamon, and fired coconut Taste: Sweet honey malt with toast and cinnamon.

"Drink me" - it whispers from across the room. Who am I to refuse? I bought 3 bottles for $70 before the price went up. This is the end of bottle 2.

TLDR: Light and hollow without much going on beyond the Sherry pop The nose seems strangely empty with only light notes of 'warm wood' which I imagine is the Sherry Cask and a sharper astringent edge. This might as well be 'anything' - it manages to be smooth and inoffensive on the tongue but lacks any real flavor punch beyond the sherry and I struggle to believe that it was in a cask for 8 years. The pale straw color only enforcing this feeling. I get almost nothing on the finish with zero peeking out in the back of the mouth or palate. My understanding is this is effectively barrel aged shochu (Mashbill: 100% Rice) and maybe it's just not going to be to my taste in Whiskey. I'm sad I paid $70 for this bottle.

It's the swamp on a sunny day where the air is still cool.

Nose: Very light. Crisp barley. Mouth: Rich and earthy- there a higher viscosity than the other other 'spots' (green and yellow) that I have tried - which fills the mouth. It's lightly sweet and a bit empty on the mid pallet and the finish. If smooth is what you are looking for, this may be your dram. It is extremely easy drinking and slides across the tongue with a lovely thick silky mouthfeel. That said, it lacks the complexity of a lot of whiskeys in this price range and from the comparison flavor perspective I honestly think I prefer the green spot! Glad I bought (curiosity) but I can't imagine buying another (value). Excellent without being distinctive.

Really embracing a lot of unique smells and flavors in my first taste. There is some of that dank medicinal that Islay scotches like Laphroaig invoke but with a very floral and perfumed funk as well and umm dry white wine? Some people will be repulsed by this nose. I'm digging it. The orchid in the swamp?

Nose of sweet mixed malted barley Mouth of silky smoothness that coats and warms without overpowering. Short and clean finish with lingering sweetness and a tiny touch of funk. Love the stuff. Like having it around. Bottle down.

Stream of whiskey: The nose is full of warm sweet barley. The legs are light but the feel is nice with a whisper smooth front end that zings the mid-mouth but fails to really blossom. This is probably the ABV and me getting spoiled drinking higher proofs and the oily-full-mout- coating that some feature. (I just checked, 80 proof.. ding!) It's extremely pleasant and easy to drink without having a distinctive flavor that really catches me. I definitely want to look up scale at the Cask Strength or Lustau. As it stands I wouldn't buy another bottle at this price. The world is full of splendor and amongst the crowd this bottle is really good without being something worth longing for.