Shinobu Pure Malt Mizunara Japanese Oak Finish

Just not my thing

What Japanese whisky is on your tasting wishlist?  You may be thinking "all of them" and I'd empathize. When I spent time in Japan, a highlight was walking into any matchbox-sized bar and being greeted like I was a dear, long lost friend. Suffice to say, I drank a lot of whisky. When I was gifted* this bottle of Shinobu to review, I couldn't have been happier.  This light amber offering has a delicate yet fragrant balance of orange blossoms in spring, light honey and a freshness like green pepper. With time, oak and citrus shine through along with gooey caramel drizzle and faint smoke. The smoke is gentle, like lingering campfire scent on a laundered shirt after a wilderness trip. Shinobu has both a rich mouthfeel and a light body. Early sips immediately make their presence known with moderate white pepper in the mid tongue. The pepper contrasts with juicy notes of apple and salted caramel that gracefully shift to light smokiness. The finish fades quickly to a lingering belly warming sensation with notes of vanilla and subtle char. This is a whisky that you don't have to overthink as a consumer. Not in the way of it being too straightforward, but how its nuanced complexity doesn't make you fiercely aware of every individual piece. Similar to when you see a performance, you don't think about the stage manager, tech crew or hours of rehearsal; you sit back and enjoy the show.  Shinobu has broad appeal: It's bright enough that newer whisky drinkers wouldn't have their hair blown back by spice and smoke but it's elegantly composed in a key that whisky connoisseurs would play on repeat. 8.25/10