Slainte-Mhath
White Oak Akashi 3 Year (Sake Cask #101528)
Single Malt — Japan, Japan
Reviewed
November 28, 2021 (edited August 17, 2022)
Sake is not matured in wood, so Eigashima Shuzo had to sacrifice the sake used to season the cask for this experiment. Engaging, fruity and not young at all, the nose reveals jasmine tea, brine and hints of earthy peat smoke. This is quite unique. On the palate, you get rice wine on steroids, driven by the high ABV. Shiitake mushrooms, miso soup and menthol appear, pushing the taste towards floral and herbal notes. The medium finish is fresh and vibrant, fading on licorice and green tea. I am almost tempted to say: Hey Kurayoshi, this is Japanese whisky!
RATING: 3.9/5.0 stars ≙ 86 pts → FIRST-CLASS [-]
50.0
EUR
per
Bottle
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@PBMichiganWolverine that’s my fear, as well. My future idiot son in laws doing shots from a prized bottle that I never got around to opening.
@Scott_E admittedly I used that lousy Girvan ( remember that one?) as a sterilizer for my electric razor.
Dont worry gents I am picking up the slack for the volume deficit. I am sure there are others here as well that consume the full bottles of what they purchase
@PBMichiganWolverine same for me. The Macallan Edition 1 will be used as a sterilizing agent or diluted with seltzer along with the vast amounts of unopened bottles.
@Scott_E and that logic, which I subscribe to, explains my outrageous collection of unopened bottles. Which I’m sure my kids will inherit when I pass. And they’ll mix Cola with the Brora
@Slainte-Mhath @PBMichiganWolverine so, the calendar samples should take you about two years. One per month.
@PBMichiganWolverine I have no idea what samples are in that calendar, it will be a surprise every single day. But yeah, I expect a lot of good drams at that price point.
@cascode yeah—-been like that for years. I find that 1 dram/week keeps me interested. On the downside, it’s rare that I ever finish a bottle on my own.
@Slainte-Mhath wow, that’s a pricey calendar. What samples are in it ? Must be ultra premium.
@Scott_E @PBMichiganWolverine @cascode My wife bought me a $320 whisky calendar, my first (and most expensive) calendar ever. I am not planning to write full reviews on all 24 samples, but it certainly reignited my interest for whisky!
@PBMichiganWolverine A pour a week? Wow, that's ... conservative.
@Scott_E @Slainte-Mhath me too…I’ve been slow and steady for years. Makes you appreciate it more. I’m like 1 pour a week , max.
@Slainte-Mhath agreed. Slow and steady. That’s what I have been doing. Sampling when I am ready or in the mood. Unfortunately I have a huge backload. But, I plan to get to it all. I may be 80 when that happens. Lol. Enjoy. As Del Griffith said “Go with the flow”
Additional comment: After six years of regular whisky reviews, I felt somewhat exhausted and realized I needed a break. After 'sober October', I slowly approached whisky again, and I decided to move on in a slower pace. I have seen too many of my fellow whisky reviewers to drop this hobby entirely, so I'll rather continue slow and steady from this point onwards... 🥃 🥃 🥃
Additional comment: Tasted side by side with Kizan fruity ginjō sake to understand the impact of the sake cask.
Additional information: Distillery-exclusive bottling, single cask #101528, bottled at 50% ABV, natural color and unchillfiltered.