Whisky: Shizuoka 3 Year "Contact S"

Country/Region: Japan

ABV: 55.5%

Cask: Bourbon

Age: 3 Years (Bottled 2021)

Nose: Herbal and citrusy like shikuwasa with its floral accents, amber wood resins, charred wood, and milled pinewood ran against coconut butter, black tea leaves, and black pepper.

Palate: Medium-bodied, mildly syrupy, herbal spice and citrus, charred lemon peel, yuzu, black pepper and ginger, a mild spirited bite, pinewood, dried grass and black tea toward the end.

Finish: Medium-length with mellow citrus and a spirited pepper bite.

Score: 6 (77)

Mental Image: Log Cabin Ponzu Sauce

Narrative & Notes: Citrusy and herbal throughout the nose and the palate, the effect reminded me of the excellent Okinawan restaurant I once lived by. Yet, there was a woodier side to the affair as resins and milled pinewood pulled me toward a forest lodge or even a log cabin.  There is a delightful spice that hangs in the air of a log cabin during the winter— it is an aroma I encounter clinging onto the letters and packages that family send during the holidays, and that scent of home is a welcome present in and of itself.

I found this more youthful and unfinished than I expected from Shizuoka, sporting more spirited prickle and peppery spice, especially toward the end of each sip and lingering onto the finish. On the positive side, the flavors were clear and well-defined with a close match between the aroma and palate lending the dram a certain circularity. It felt like a journey that started and concluded at the same spot.

Overall, youthful and spirited— flavorful, but a touch unrefined.

Image Credit: Must Have Malts