Wakatsuru Junenmyo

Absolutely delicious. Probably the best whiskey I’ve ever tried.

Japanese whisky tasting evening, Sydney 28 March 18, Whisky #3. Nose: Lightly fragrant with a floral character just covering a base of good quality ethanol. Reasonably full and rounded for a blended whisky. A light touch of peat smoke. Palate: Sweet arrival, followed very quickly by a smoky development. Cereal flavours and a touch of salt. Not a particularly complex palate. Finish: Short. The lightly salted cereal continues together with a hint of smoke. The nose has a gentle smoky touch (less than 10ppm probably). A drop of water enhances this and brings out more body and texture overall. In some ways this was oddly reminiscent of Bruichladdich Classic Laddie. That same gristy character with a floral overtone, but this is not as “dusky” as the Laddie. It’s un-chillfiltered and natural colour, which is all good. This was the first time I’d heard of this distillery. Apparently they are also sake brewers but have been making whisky since 1953, mainly under the “Sunshine” brand. As I understand it they are looking to expand further into whisky production. This expression incorporates a Scottish component, but exactly how is a bit confusing. The local distributor says they use imported Scottish lightly peated barley for the production (or part of it), however an online source says that this is a blend of Wakatsuru malt and Scottish grain whisky. Enjoyable whisky, but it doesn't really stand out from the crowd. "Above Average" : 80/100 (3 stars)