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Whiskey Tasting Notes, part 3 (Japanese)
The third and final week of Alex at Camp Papa and Grandma; and the third and final birthday tasting set.
• Hibiki Japanese Harmony – Very pleasant nose. There’s a fruitiness here, a dark stone fruit like plum or even prune. The finish is spicy; a bit rough with a bit of brown sugar.
• The Chita – Strong honey nose, also some grain. Starts very slowly, not a lot of front taste. Takes a long time to develop, but with a burn at the end. Subtle, like a sponge cake soaked in honey that very briefly catches fire.
• Mars Maltage Cosmo – Nose is slightly chocolaty, with also a subtle berry scent—brings to mind chocolate covered fruit. It’s dense, rich, and warm, but the taste isn’t actually fruity. It brings to mind hot chocolate, and Jethrien liked the taste to orange oil—aromatic without actually tasting of fruit. Also quite a bit of kick.
• Nikka Whisky From the Barrel – Smells of caramel and spice. The burn comes on quickly; this really needs some water to lighten that. I thought there was an interesting and complex taste under that burn; Jethrien found it reminiscent of motor oil and didn’t like it.
• Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt – Fruity nose, smells of prunes and sherry. It’s very smooth, with a honeyed cereal and grain flavor, ending with a more bitter taste somewhere between coffee and fruit pith. The tasting notes said there was smoke; we didn’t get that at all.
Overall: The Japanese whiskeys clearly aim sweeter with more honey flavor; and go for a fuller, creamier mouthfeel. That is not a complaint; I’d love to try more of them. Also, my research on tasting suggested a Japanese style of drinking whiskey is one part whiskey, two parts mineral water in a glass of ice; and I’m interested in trying that with a whiskey specifically recommended for it.
• Hibiki Japanese Harmony – Very pleasant nose. There’s a fruitiness here, a dark stone fruit like plum or even prune. The finish is spicy; a bit rough with a bit of brown sugar.
• The Chita – Strong honey nose, also some grain. Starts very slowly, not a lot of front taste. Takes a long time to develop, but with a burn at the end. Subtle, like a sponge cake soaked in honey that very briefly catches fire.
• Mars Maltage Cosmo – Nose is slightly chocolaty, with also a subtle berry scent—brings to mind chocolate covered fruit. It’s dense, rich, and warm, but the taste isn’t actually fruity. It brings to mind hot chocolate, and Jethrien liked the taste to orange oil—aromatic without actually tasting of fruit. Also quite a bit of kick.
• Nikka Whisky From the Barrel – Smells of caramel and spice. The burn comes on quickly; this really needs some water to lighten that. I thought there was an interesting and complex taste under that burn; Jethrien found it reminiscent of motor oil and didn’t like it.
• Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt – Fruity nose, smells of prunes and sherry. It’s very smooth, with a honeyed cereal and grain flavor, ending with a more bitter taste somewhere between coffee and fruit pith. The tasting notes said there was smoke; we didn’t get that at all.
Overall: The Japanese whiskeys clearly aim sweeter with more honey flavor; and go for a fuller, creamier mouthfeel. That is not a complaint; I’d love to try more of them. Also, my research on tasting suggested a Japanese style of drinking whiskey is one part whiskey, two parts mineral water in a glass of ice; and I’m interested in trying that with a whiskey specifically recommended for it.