Yamazakura Blended Whisky

Nose: ethanol-like paint thinner immediately up front, takes a moment to push past this, lighter fruit notes, mild honey, herbal grassiness, cereal grain, ethanol thinner note just doesn’t subside enough to enjoy what little the nose has to offer, off putting. Taste: light fruitiness, some sweetness but not much, peppery spice note, a little hot, herbal or grassy note on the finish, pepperiness returns. Overall, not a good entry for a Japanese Blended Whisky. I’ve had much better. This almost tastes like it was a sourced whiskey from Scotland. And a poor selection at that. Very similar, if not nearly identical, to some bad budget blend scotches I’ve had in the past. If this really is not sourced, it was poorly done for Japanese standards. Unfortunately, I’d skip this one.

Light body. Thin, fast legs. Short finish. Not very complex. Not bad for someone new to try as it’s neither overpowering nor too remarkable.