Galaxy Express 999, Speyside Region Malt, 18 years, 1998-2017, Sherry Butt No. 1027, 235/239, 52.7% abv.

The label depicts an anime back in the late 70s about the adventures of a boy and and a girl on a space train called the Galaxy Express 999. I personally haven't seen it so I don't know the details, but it was a popular anime back then with a modern semi-cult following. This cask was selected by Carsten Ehrlich (The Whisky Agency and Limburg Whisky Fair?... spelling makes a big difference for Americans) and Hideo Yamaoka (famous whisky collector and movie producer?). No idea which distillery this is from.

Nose: old cocktail sherries, some roasted nuts, frozen green grapes, good aromatic body.

Palate: sharp, concentrated white grapes, some wood, back palate is spicy. Tastes like an untaken-care-of chardonay.

Finish: medium to long, a little smokey, a bitter grape juice flavor, abv numbness.

Pretty sharp flavors, very similar to bad chardonay. Not sure what kind of sherry cask was used, but I doubt it was PX or oloroso. If I had to guess it might be Glen Grant (or Balvenie gone wrong) or similar in a refill Fino or a very strange sauternes (yes not sherry). Don't think Bar Higuchi has storage issues. Nonethelss, not that good overall... very not good.

Grade: D-

Couldn't find quantifiable, reliable reviews

Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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