Kurayoshi 8 Year Pure Malt Sherry Cask

Nose: Fresh juicy fruits. Strong white grape note hides the typical sherry 'musk'. Notes of reisling, menthol, toffee, vanilla, pound cake. Taste: Mellow on flavor. Nothing really pops out in your face. Warm spice, butterscotch, vanilla, biscuits. Bright fruit and sherry influence appears with water added. Finish: Buttermilk biscuits, warming. Nose presents with a nicely balanced whisky with sherry influence. The taste was a bit lacking, especially in the bright fruit flavors found on the nose, but opened up with a bit of water. Nothing was off-putting but the whisky felt a bit lacking in a really "stand out" flavor.

Sweet start and finish a with a Smokey middle

This has a more aged smell than the Suntory Toki does, but it has less to it and it's less appealing. There's a bit of fruit on the nose, including some tart apricot. The alcohol does come through on the nose. It smells perfectly fine. The palate is fairly smooth I guess but there definitely is some youthful harshness to it. It tastes like a whiskey for sure, but it tastes on the young side. It's fruity, but the flavors aren't exceptional at all. First impression: although it's richer, the Suntory Toki has somewhat better execution. There isn't a whole lot to the flavor and the alcohol is too pronounced. There's that annoying Irish bitterness in here too. It's drinkable, but it really isn't all that enjoyable. The aftertaste is bitter too. Given the flavor, I was surprised to discover that this is a malt whiskey. I like the richness, but the undertone is not very good. Really, I'd drink this if I had to, but it isn't very good. That bit of sweetness is worth something, but it isn't enough. Sadly, this just gets worse and worse. There isn't much to recommend it.