Nikka Whisky From the Barrel

I have to chuckle sometimes at whisk(e)y "pairings" with food, which are more marketing or misguidedness than merited. There's no whisk(e)y that will ever pair better with a steak than a good cabernet; no whisk(e)y that will pair better with duck than a good pinot noir; no whisk(e)y that will pair better with fresh snapper than a nice unoaked chardonnay. But I digress. But to regress: I was having sushi tonight. Not time for bourbon. Not time for scotch (sherried, or peated, or both combined). Time for Japanese whisky. Specifically, Nikka Whisky From The Barrel, which was Whisky Advocate's 2018 Whisky of the Year. I've been a huge fan of this whisky since then (not because of the accolade; the 2019 winner, Dickel 13 Year Old Bottled-in-Bond, isn't even good enough for cocktails). Beautiful clear deep kumquat (citrus japonica; apropos). Complex nose shows orange zest, cigar, sandalwood, butterscotch, cocoa powder, leather, and some ginger. Some light viscosity on the palate, where the 51.4% ABV is present, not as a solo voice but in the chorus of flavors that carry over from the palate, finishing with light heat and a touch of vanilla. This is a bottle that I'll always have on hand. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.

Delicate. Cigar. Linger soft burn