Hibiki 21 Year

Nose is a beautiful caramelized sugar and vanilla like crème brûlée and lychee; definite mizunara, some caramel and vanilla, and a ripe honeydew melon; long, sweet mizunara finish; surprisingly hot for 21yr old; thinner than I’d like; very good, but not enough to merit the price or reputation

Not a Glencairn glass but getting a 1oz pour at cost of a $1k whisky is more than fine to excuse that for me! Nose: rich dark sweet oak, cinnamon, dark caramel, cocoa. Vanilla bean, has a nice sweet floral malt note here too. Palate: absolutely astounding. Beautiful marriage of floral malt and sweet grain. Jasmine or something else floral. Drying tannic oak, a gentle hint of smoke. Evident but not overpowering sherry, nice robust baking spices. Where the normal harmony has a bit of a sharp/harsh oak note this is insanely well rounded and smooth. A bit of cherry and other dark fruit sweetness. The 21 years of oak is prominent and flavorful here. Finish: very oaky, surprisingly long, a little bit of phenolic plasticine and a hint of peat phenols.

The surprise ending to a phenomenal ramen session with some of my favorite people. Thank you Eli! The nose is a well of aromas, with cherrywood and leather polish impressing at once. It smells syrupy, too, and I wonder if it will be a sweeter, thicker whisky. The palate is initially very plummy, and while the mouthfeel is syrupy, it’s not saccharine at all. I taste sandalwood and a pungent oak note — like I’m deep in an ancient wood. It’s incredibly interesting, unique, and indulgent. The rich and syrupy feel gives way to finer notes of green tea and rose petal. On the finish, umeshu and menthol cigarettes. A generous dram shared by a generous friend.