Akashi White Oak Blue
Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt Japanese Whisky
"One for no age statement naysayers... Eloquent & beautiful." - whiskyadvocate.com Back in 2015, Nikka announced they were discontinuing their age statement and No Age Statement (NAS) releases for the Yoichi and Miyagikyo labels and consolidating them into two new bottlings. These whiskies have now arrived in Australia. Two NAS versions that differ slightly to the previous versions now represent the entire portfolio. It was yet another move that triggered a buying rush. Reports have it that Tokyo is now pretty much out of age statement Japanese whiskies, unless you visit bars or auction houses. Nikka's reasons for the radical new strategy are now familiar. They simply have no old stocks to sell. Decades ago, both local and world demand for Japanese malts was low, so few barrels were being laid down for extended periods. Stefan Van Eycken, writing for www.nonjatta.com explains "...there were years, at both Yoichi and Miyagikyo distillery, when the barrels laid down for maturation could be counted on the fingers of one hand. The ‘stock shortage’ is not an excuse or a PR stunt – it’s very real. Sources within Nikka have said that it is ‘likely’ that age-statement single malts will be brought back in 5 or 6 years’ time. No official statement to that effect has been made for the simple reason that doing so – in Japan – would be interpreted as a promise (which could come back to haunt them in 6 years’ time)." The dropping of age statements doesn't always translate into a drop in quality. Early reviews for both releases have been very positive. Evidently, Chief blender Tadashi Sakuma has risen to the challenge of creating a great assemblage from a restricted inventory.
Houraisen Bi Junmai Daiginjo
Meaning beauty in japanese, Bi is one of Houraisen's flagship sake's. It is a very elegant style of the highest grade of sake, Junmai Daiginjo. Tank matured for 10 months at 10 degrees in order to have a rounder and more mellow character, it has a nose that indicates sweet fruits with the palate showing good balance between the gentle acidity and the sweet fruit flavours.
Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky
A unique Japanese whisky showing enticing aromas of sweet exotic fruit, ripe pear, cherry, citrus notes and subtle floral scents. Intense sweet fruity flavours of pear and apricot nectar and caramelized papaya. Finishes sweet with bourbon vanilla. The Coffey Still is the worlds first patented continuous still invented by Mr. Aeneas Coffey in 1830. Masataka Taketsuru valued the feature of this type of still, which retains the flavours of ingredients and also creates a distinctive texture. Complex, sweet and mellow flavours in Nikka Coffey invites you back to beauties of grain whisky.
Nantou Distillery Yushan Signature Bourbon Single Malt Taiwanese Whisky
From Taiwan's Nantou distillery comes this new expression, a tribute to the highest mountain in Taiwan. Yushan Signature is a tribute to the highest and most symbolic mountain of the island Taiwan, also known as Jade Mountain. Distilled in a pot still of Scottish copper (Forsyth) and Belgian. Aged in bourbon casks. Neither coloured or non-filtered. Goes perfectly with grilled salmon with red berries. A floral nose of honeysuckle and vanilla and a delicate palate of creamy vanilla caramel and hint of spice and zesty orange. The finish is balanced - Vanilla, malt, tangerine.
Hakushika Chotokusen Kuromatsu Goka Sennenju Junmai Daiginjo Japanese Sake
This is an elegant representation of Nishinomiya Sake at its finest. This sake has aromatic beginning and smooth finish full of finesse.
Attack on Titan Umeshu - (2 )
Attack on Titan collaboration with Oyama Yume Kobo, the series original author So Isayama's original drawing used for the bottles labels. Oyama Yume umeshu is made with Oushukubai plums from Oyama, which has said to be ideal for plum brewing, aged for more than 3 years it is characterized by a rich taste. This set is packaged in a specialty licensed gift box and includes 1 x Levi - Aged Plum Wine Yume Hibiki ABV 20% 1 x Elvin - Nanko Plum's Specialty Plum Wine ABV 14%
Kyoya Shuzo Premium Yuzu Gin
Stepping outside of the realm they are renowned for, high quality authentic Japanese shochu, Kyoya Shuzo has successfully made their mark in the world of gin. Using their own Kameshizuku sweet potato shochu as a base, this premium yuzu gin is flavoured with yuzu and hyuganatsu, sansho pepper,citrus fruits and juniper berries.
Oyama Yumehibiki 5 Year Old Nikka Whisky Umeshu
Using locally grown Oushukubai plums from Oyama, Oita which are said to be the best for ume brewing. Umeshu that has been aged for 3 years is then matured for a further 2 years in white oak barrels previously used for the maturation of Single Malt Nikka whisky. Comes with handmade Wooden Gift Box, and wrapped in a Furoshiki. Aromas of honeydew, stone fruits, almonds, apricots, brioche and malt, oak flow across the nose. The palate is rich with the fruity sweetness of plums, almonds, apricots and dried fruits with notes of Yamazaki malt. The impression of ex whisky barrels delivers some vanilla and woody notes to the finish. Slight bitterness to finish.
White Oak Akashi Single Malt Japanese Whisky
The White Oak distillery is perhaps the least known of Japan’s whisky producers, but it has a legitimate claim to be the country’s oldest with a license to make whisky granted in 1919 — four years before Yamazaki was built. It's located in the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture, west of Kobe, facing the Seto Inland Sea. The distillery was founded by Eigashima Shuzo in 1888 to produce sake. Eigashima Shuzo obtained a license to manufacture whisky in 1919, but it was when the company moved to their current facilities in 1984 that White Oak Distillery was born. White Oak’s whisky stills are only in operation for one month every year and so their production is very small. Most of it's blended whisky, but when the single malts do come on the market the whisky is named ‘Akashi’ after its hometown. The first Akashi release was in 2007. This 'No Age Statement' bottling is a new product for White Oak, released in September 2012. It's a blend of 7 YO, 5 YO & 4 YO malts from 3 types of cask. The intention is for this to become the distillery's 'house' expression. This release is limited to 4500 bottles. Non chill filtered and no colouring added. No tasting notes available.