Chivas Regal Mizunara

Nose: orange peel and vanilla Palate: coconut and banana, hints of apple Finish: apple sweetness continues, light smoke and peat.

Tonight, I revisited the Mizunara side-by-side with Hibiki Japanese Harmony, which is about equally priced, and the Yamazaki 12, which is admittedly more expensive. On the nose, the Mizunara is herbal and slightly dank - very similar to the Hibiki, but more marshy, less sweet, and a bit more harsh. There's a hint of rich fruit to the Yamazaki that gives it a different quality, like a hint of ripe melon, with additional notes of caramel, toffee and condensed milk as it sits out. The Japanese Harmony picks up some sweetness as it opens, also. On the other hand, after a minute, the nose on the Mizunara seems lighter (it may be because it is comparably less aromatic and I came back to it after the Yamazaki). Flavorwise, the Chivas is a bit harsher tasting than the Hibiki but surprisingly similar. Both are herbal, but the Chivas Mizunara barrel has a slightly deeper flavor profile, with a bit more bitterness and kick. The Yamazaki is the sweetest of the three, but only barely. The Yamazaki is higher pitched and smoother, with a sour note by comparison and far less medicinal quality. Coming back to the Mizunara after the Yamazaki makes me think it is different but not necessarily inferior. This time, I'm almost getting licorice notes at the end on the Mizunara. The Japanese Harmony has the shortest finish, but is very smooth with almost no burn. The Yamazaki lingers a bit longer, but has a slight burn. The Mizunara lingers the longest, but the herbal quality that stays through the end is slightly off-putting. It has the most burn comparably but it's still quite smooth. The Hibiki is the lightest in color, followed by the Chivas, followed by the Yamazaki at darkest, but all are pretty close