Taste Testing Velier' Nine Leaves Unsun Karuta Ace Of Guru 2018 Armagnac Cask & Two Of Pao 2020 Pedro Ximenez Sherry Cask

When Shiga Prefecture based Japanese rum producer Nine Leaves was announced to have ceased production in end 2023, with all remaining stocks sold to Italian rum icon and pioneer Velier, there was a larger than life outpouring of interest in its rums. In many ways then, Nine Leaves' story appears to parallel that of great artists, whose works often only gain their well deserved appreciation once they are no longer produced. It's worth hoping then that Takeuchi-san, the one man show behind Nine Leaves, can at least take pride in just how revered his passion and artistry have become. And in this particular context, as Takeuchi-san has by now fully stepped away from his rums for several years, perhaps then he can sit back and enjoy watching his rums finally experience the appreciation they so deserve. It's after all sometimes difficult in the midst of it to stop and nose the flowers along the way. At least the optimist in me would like to believe so!

And so in the past three years since its closure, Velier has embarked on gradually releasing parts of what would be the Nine Leaves Unsun Karuta collection, so named after the ancient Japanese card game - giving it the same treatment as the legendary Hanyu Playing Cards series from Chichibu Distillery's Ichiro Akuto, bottling the remnants of his grandfather's Japanese whiskies - with each bottling featuring a unique playing card (there are 75 in total, making it a sizeably ambitious series for collectors), containing a mix of single casks and vatted small batches that come in quite the assortment of cask types, going from the more classic American oak and French oak, all the way to really exotic ones such as Russian oak and Mizunara, with Bourbon, Sherry, Cognac, Armagnac, Red and White wine casks in between. And that's just what has been revealed by Velier in just three waves of releases since the distillery's closure!

What has been rather revelatory then has been the sheer extent of Takeuchi-san's experiments. In the decade of its operations, Takeuchi-san had largely focused on just two primary lines of aged rums, the Nine Leaves Angel's Half, one of which came in American oak and the other in a French oak variant, above his unaged white Nine Leaves Clear. He would of course bottle several experimental expressions under the Nine Leaves Almost Spring moniker which featured Cabernet Sauvignon wine casks and the short-lived Nine Leaves Encrypted Series (just I through IV) that showcased Sherry, Chardonnay and that exotic Russian oak. But now, with everything out in the open, it's clear that there was much more under the hood that had just been waiting to be bottled.

It's impossible then to not wonder what Nine Leaves would've achieved if Takeuchi-san simply had more time, having had to step away abruptly to helm his family's business.

And so with that said, let's get on to trying two more from the Nine Leaves Unsun Karuta collection:

• Nine Leaves 2020 Two of Pao, 5 Year Old, Pedro Ximenez Sherry
• Nine Leaves 2018 Ace of Guru, 7 Year Old, Armagnac Cask

Let's go!

Rum Review: Velier Nine Leaves 2020, Unsun Karuta 'Two Of Pao', 5 Years Old, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, 59% ABV

Small Batch of 2 Casks, Ex-Sherry PX.

This comes from a blend of two 400-liter ex-Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber

Aroma: Opens rich and opulent with lots of fruitcake, prunes, plums and raisins, it's even chocolatey with generous servings of Demerara sugar and a buttery quality of pound cake. Slight citrusy tinge that envelopes a serious slice of coffee cake.

Taste: Medium-bodied here, more punchy even with the follow through richness. Brown sugars, lots of Demerara sugars, plums, prunes, figs and raisins, with now more on leather and espresso coffee. It's incredibly rich and creamy, with also great concentration and a really nice intensity. Again the citruses outline the body, delicate yet boldly drawn, almost of orange oil and orange blossoms. Little bits of candied ginger too.

Finish: A little espresso bitterness emerges, roasty and alittle bit of spent coffee grounds that accompanies dried plums, prunes and raisins, all coaxed with brown sugar. It's super rich. Lush, confectionary finish with a touch of nutty, musty rancio, leather and more espresso coffee that lingers on. A perfumed purple floral lavender aromatic wafts by long after.

My Thoughts

A really delightful number that will be a home run for Demerara lovers - this brings with it all of that beautiful, darker toned, confectionary richness, a nice balance of earthy bitterness, all whilst staying more lifted and more supple as compared to the English styled Caribbean rum. This then gives it a really good contrast that's integrated so nicely, with also a freshness and elegance that is rather unique. It's almost as if this were two parts Demerara and one part Rhum Agricole. It's generous, opulent yet shows such finesse and restraint even with the thorough richness. It's understatedly complex, with a good presence on the palate, and a most beguiling floral perfume on the finish. What a masterpiece!

Rum Review: Velier Nine Leaves 2018, Unsun Karuta 'Ace Of Guru', 7 Years Old, Armagnac Cask, 59% ABV

Small Batch of 3 Casks, Ex-Armagnac.

This comes from a blend of three 300-liter ex-Armagnac casks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Emerges in a very plush, very supple, aromatic plume of raisins, plum preserves, mulled wine, Kyoho grapes, that's then backed with rich confectionaries of maltose, honey and brown sugar. Lightly spiced with cinnamon, licorice and baking spices, along with an almost herbal element of eucalyptus.

Taste: Medium-bodied, it's even more herbal now, with still that rich confectionary body. Brown sugars, gula melaka, dried longans, angelica roots, it's reminiscent of the traditional Chinese Cheng Tng dessert, here only more candied and with a dash of rancio. It shows good intensity and concentration, although still really supple, with more on mulled wine, lots of Kyoho grapes, over a side of fermenting wet dough.

Finish: It gets more high toned here, much more grape-y, with also more acidity too, Pinot Noir grapes, plums, cranberries, a bit of hawthorn as well. It's firm and holding on to a really good concentration. Alittle bit of musty rancio and soft cheese rinds, with also some dryness into the finish. Grape gummies and dried raisins persist.

My Thoughts

Before we get any further ahead, I must confess that this is my favourite flavour profile right down to a tee - that is, herbal and fruity, with a slight rusticity. And so with that, the conclusion here is pretty clear, I thoroughly enjoyed this expression, already on the nose it came through in such an evocative and almost textural plume of dark fruits and herbal, spiced confectionaries. Absolutely breathtaking! It's rather reminiscent of aged Rhum agricoles, in fact. The palate shows more chomp, so nicely done here as well, with a doubling down on that herbal quality, making it really nostalgic, yet at the same time with a sort of slightly funky rusticity. The finish gets a whole lot brighter, with a big streak of acidity, making it more tart and red-fruited. There's great concentration all through, oh, and a whole, whole lot of Kyoho grapes. The grape gummies that lingers on is just Takeuchi-san flexing at this point.

PS. As always, a big thank you to Takeuchi-san for your incredible contributions to the world of rums. We've never gotten the chance to speak or meet, but already your presence in the rum world is greatly missed! Yours are gems that are only waiting to be amongst the most sought after in time to come. Even with all the hype right now, it's still a long way on from the full recognition your passion deserves. It might be a stretch, but one can always hope that perhaps some day, we might find you back to finish from where you left off. Arigato!

Kanpai!

@111hotpot