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Mars Shinshu distillery is located high in the Japanese Alps in Nagano Prefecture at around 800m above sea level. Pure mineral water from the mountain is used for whisky making and the distillery is surrounded with beautiful clean air. Ripe fruits such as persimmon, apricot an orange marmalade are evident on the nose. The palate is smooth with a soft mouth feel with flavour of quince, melon and sweet creamy milk. Whisky maker's suggestion is to serve with a little amount of water to enjoy the complex flavour.

Suntory's Flagship whiskey, the Yamazaki takes its place as the number 1 single malt whiskey in Japan. Also available in 12, 18 and 25 year varieties the Distillers reserve is the youngest in the lineup. Crafted using malt matured in sherry casks which gives the whisky a rich spiced nose of sherry soaked plums and raisins. On the palate you’ll find coffee and chocolate with a hint of smoke. A fantastic Japanese malt and one of the best currently produced bearing the Takesuru name.

Miyagikyo Single Malt is described as soft and fruity.Using less peaty malt, this whisky is distilled in a pot still heated by indirect steam at a low temperature. Miyagikyo Single Malt has an elegant fruitiness and a distinctive aroma with a strong Sherry cask influence.

From the Hakushu distillery in the foothills of Mount Kaikomagatake comes their Distillers Reserve single malt whisky. A no-age statement expression that captures the smoky, herbaceous characteristics of their whiskies. Both lightly-peated and heavily peated malts were used for this complex and deeply enjoyable whisky. A hint of smoke and a lovely long finish.

The nose depicts fresh wooden barrel, maltose taste: Mizunara oak, maltose, nectar, coffee bean, fruit acids, slight fragrance of floral finish: This is richer in taste than the N A S Whisky. The sweet aftertaste is outstanding, and the barrel again brings out the different levels of spice flavours. Deep floral woody scent is also full of vitality and opulent flavour.

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.

"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.

Hibiki®, meaning “resonance”, embodies the soul of Japanese craftsmanship. Its harmonious blend resounds with calm complexity and “Wa” or “oneness.” Seductive, blossoming and enigmatic, Hibiki celebrates the unrivaled art of blending, fine craftsmanship and the sense of luxury of the House. Hibiki® Japanese Harmony is the perfect introduction to Japanese whisky. Pure and noble, it offers a transparency of taste that allows for all of this whisky’s complexities to be revealed simultaneously. Delicately balanced, smooth and subtly sweet, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a blend of more than 10 malts and three grain whiskies, up to approximately 20 years old, that create an enveloping harmony of flavours and aromas.

In ancient times, the land around I-Lan in Taiwan was called Kavalan, a mysterious land that was solely inhabited by the indigenous people of the Kavalan clan. The name was officially recognized by the Emperor of the Chin dynasty in the year of 1809 when the original city was also built under the same name. Kavalan had always been kept primitive and protected from the outside world by the Syue-shan mountain range which is abundant in high quality natural water that comes from deep within the mountain range. The mists of Kavalan and the spirits of the past have been created for you in this exquisite whisky. The water is drawn from springs in the surrounding mountains with their rich volcanic soil imparting a smooth and creamy mouth feel to the whisky. Matured in hand selected fresh American ex-Bourbon casks, the whisky is available at cask strength and non chill-filtered hence it retains a fuller flavour of a natural single malt whisky. Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon is a delightfully complex single malt whisky. Clean and fresh tropical fruits, vanilla and coconut on the nose lead to a smooth well balanced palate of vanilla and oak spice. This cask of Solist Ex Bourbon, was chosen and bottled exclusively for Australia, with only 179 bottles released.