Whisky: Shizuoka 3 Year (2017), Cask 2017-026 for Hasegawasaketen

Country/Region: Japan

ABV: 51.6%

Cask: Bourbon Cask

Age: 3 Years (Distilled 18 Nov. 2017, Bottled 27 April 2021)

Nose: Honey and cedar wood, moss and herbal wild mint, potting soil and clay, more nougat, caramel, and cream with time.

Palate: Medium-bodied, honey, caramel, peppercorns— spicy and numbing, cedar wood, melon rind, musty herbal notes, subtle earth and floral accents.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy with a kiss of salt, melon, and wood.

Score: 6+

Mental Image: Peppery Pastries at the Spa

Narrative & Notes: The rich aroma varied with sweet caramel, honey, and creamy sugars, which ebbed and flowed behind wood and earth. Warm cedar wood flooring with hints of burning sandalwood incense opened on wet stone, moss, potting soil, clay, and an herbal wild mint. Gradually the sweeter elements of nougat and creamy caramel asserted themselves with subtle chocolate, vaguely Cadbury-egg-like. Medium-bodied and oily, honey and caramel touched down first with a tingling sweet chili spice, Sichuan peppercorns, and mala-flavored desserts, perhaps. Cedar and melon rind arrived on the mid-palate with a musty herbal tobacco, a hint of patchouli, matcha, and moss— a compelling combination with subtle floral accents and a tingling peppery background. The finish was medium to long and spicy with a kiss of salt and hints of melon and wood.

A new distillery (for me, anyway)! Shizuoka opened during the latest wave of Japanese malt distilleries, which seemed poised to continue. I reckon it might be the star of its generation, with releases reaching something akin to Chichibu hype levels and an equally robust single-cask program that drives engagement with retailers, bars, and customers looking for something special and unique. I was excited to finally try something from the distillery and get an idea of how it measured up to its well-established fellows.

Overall, I was impressed by what I found on this malt; the flavors were well-developed and well-integrated, with no significant off-notes. The whisky was quite spicy, especially on the finish, with a tingling Sichuan peppercorn (I would almost describe it as a less funky white pepper, but it had a familiar numbing to Sichuan peppers). Spice ran throughout the palate and finish, though it was never unpleasant, and the whisky felt generally balanced between sweeter notions and musty earth.

I cannot wait to try some more!

Image Credit: Scotch Whisky Auctions