The Hakushu Distiller's Reserve

 

 

 

43°

Distillery : Hakushu - Japan

Ex-Bourbon, Sherry, American White Oak Casks and Bourbon Barrels 

Original Bottling 

Core Range 

Single Malt

Launched in 2014

Almost Unpeated

In 2014, with the pressure on aged Single Malt stocks becoming increasingly intense, Suntory decided to release the Distiller's Reserve, with no mention of age. This one is based on a blend of a very old whisky, 18 years old, aged in American casks, a reasonably old whisky, 12 years old, aged in Bourbon casks, and a third much younger whisky, less than 10 years old, aged in Bourbon casks. Reported as "Slightly Peated", it is in fact very lightly peated, between 2 and 5 ppm.

Let's Taste It : 

I can feel the light, herbaceous peat. It's like being in the forest, a fairly dense pine forest on a rainy spring day. Heather, humidity, moss, pine needles, a running stream. Fresh iodine in the background. Eucalyptus. On the palate, more peat and damp, limestone earth, it's grassy but not bitter, rather warm. A hint of aniseed and tarragon. Quite a long finish, the vegetal peat rises again, with fairly intense notes of green tea and bay leaves. A really good whisky.

 

In Short, 

I'm really enjoying it. It's original, and quite complex at the same time. What's more, it seemed much peatier than what I'd read, and so much the better. It's a shame that, once again a victim of its own success, this bottling has ended up being overpriced.

Score : 84

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

  

                                           George Winston - Woods