As festival season roared back to life this year (the year is 2022 for future reference) after two years of inactivity, one of Singapore's main whisky festivals, The Malt Affair, was back on. A big positive surprise this year was that Yamaoka-san of WhiskyMew and Tatsuya-san of Highlander Inn had made the trip down just to take part (I believe this was the magical work of the good guys from Friends With Drams?). This meant that on-show were some insane indie bottlings, which I had set my sights on from the moment the drinks list was published.

I've always been a fan of Japanese whisky aficionado Stefan van Eycken's work -  ever since I read his book Whisky Rising, which showcased a slice of the Japanese whisky tapestry and is really canon in that category. Unfortunately, I had not myself got into the scene of appreciating whiskies when the blog he helped operate, Nonjatta, was still active, and with that, I also missed out on his earlier releases from his Ghost Series bottlings.

Stefan's book is nothing short of canon in the realms of Japanese whisky. (Image Source: The Rare Malt)

This past year, the Ghost Series has seen some very interesting bottlings of Akashi, and then a heavier push into up and coming distilleries such as Mars' Tsunuki and Kanosuke. The Kanosuke of which is the first Chardonnay maturated expression from the distillery, and which I also had the fortune of trying at The Malt Affair. Seems like Stefan had a pretty productive time in Kagoshima, which by the way, according to David from Aloha Whisky (one of the best whisky bars in the world), is really where it's at right now.

And if you think these Ghost Series bottlings are exciting, just take a gander back at the series' earlier works - you're talking Karuizawa's (including one from the defunct distillery's single Rouge Cask year where they opted to use their own wine barrels instead of their usual sherry casks), Hanyu's, Kawasaki's, early Chichibu's; you're in legendary Japanese whiskies from a bygone era zone.

The earlier bottlings featured whiskies that are now considered legendary. (Image Source: The Drinks Business)

These days it's clear that the Series has taken a shift towards younger whiskies from more up and coming distilleries, which from interviews with Stefan, seems to not exactly be something he was totally keen on in the past. I'm not sure what his stance is on this anymore but no points for guessing that this is to do with the insane astronomical rise in whisky prices.

This means that distilleries are that much more unwilling (or totally unwilling, which is more likely to be the case) to let go of prime casks (or any casks for that matter, Suntory seems to have ceased their private cask program). And even if one was able to grease the wheels sufficiently to get some well-aged casks, this would come at exceptionally steep prices that would make the releases (which are already extremely hot) incredibly pricey, although I'm sure in this climate that would probably just add 1 minute to how long it would take for the new drops to sell out.

Even more Japanese whisky fans would be forgiven for not knowing about  Karuizawa's rouge casks which also happen to be a rare example of an OB from the bygone distillery. The Ghost Series features one such example with an outturn of only 22 bottles. (Image Source: Whisky Auctioneer)

Going back to Nonjatta, one of the pioneering English-language blogs covering the Japanese whisky scene, which has since been inactive, its been outlined that these Ghost Series bottlings had endeavoured to bring to the community and the blog's friends and fans interesting and good quality whiskies in the spirit of sharing.

Had they continued to trudge the route of bottling the legendary stuff that filled the earlier half of the Series, which I believe they probably could continue to have access to given Nonjatta's clout (although its been said that Japanese distilleries unlike their Scottish peers, aren't as enthused by writers, experts of influential folks of the community), this would probably gone against the ethos of the Series.

Bottling a Karuizawa or a Hanyu these days is akin to creating interior decor or maybe doing the hard labor to line someone's pocket. They would immediately be collector's items, never ever being uncorked and actually enjoyed. They would never see the bottom of a glass or hear the sound of "clinks" and raucous cheers, and instead be destined to sit on a shelf or become frequent visitors of auction warehouses. 

More recent bottlings from the Ghost Series has shifted attention to newer distilleries such as up and coming Kanosuke Distillery. Pictured is founder Komasa-san in front of the Kagoshima distillery. (Image Source: Nomunication)

Again I'm not sure what the reason is for the shift, or if it's combination of the several reasons that I've gleaned from Nonjatta's past writings, and if so in what weight of consideration, but those days appear to be of the past.

What then is thoroughly impressive to me is that despite that seemingly damning limitation of not being able to put out well-aged, incredibly unique, high quality, rare vintage Japanese whiskies, this has not stopped a key part of the Series' ethos - to put out interesting whiskies.

The more recent releases, whilst younger in age and from somewhat less established distilleries without as much of a track record, have no less showcased whiskies that aren't in the public's eye and continue to be of impeccably high quality and pushes the envelope in what is being done right now. For credibility, I previously reviewed two Akashi's from the Series, Ghost #9 which featured the use of ex-Sake cask, and Ghost #14, featuring an ex-Cabernet Franc cask.

What they lack in rarity, vintage and fame, they've more than made up for in quality and uniqueness. That in itself is a real feat that deserves far more recognition.

Of course, those more perceptive would point our that Mars' Tsunuki and Komasa Jyozo's Kanosuke aren't completely new to the game, Mars obviously founded by Kiichiro Iwai who some would call the Godfather of Japanese whisky (and previously had Shinshu-made Komagatake feature as Ghost #11), and Komasa Jyozo having been a real champion in the shochu game. But you get the point, these aren't distilleries with the level of esteem enjoyed by the likes of Karuizawa. Akashi is also somewhat of a midfield player, having been around since the 1980s (which is longer than Chichibu), but yet hadn't really planted their reputation firmly in the ground up until perhaps more recently.

Either way, the Ghost Series picks have been no less impressive - is what I'm really getting at.

Now, to address the label - which is of course a core signature at this point - if you don't already know, the Series features art from legendary ancient ukiyo-e master Yoshitoshi, who was the last great woodblock print artist of Japan, whose series "New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts" is the inspiration for the Ghost Series.

(Image Source: The Value)

For this particular non-peated Tsunuki 2017 expression, which is Ghost #17, the art featured here is titled "The Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree" or "Komachi-Zakura no Sei", which is taken from the kabuki play "Tsumoru Koi Yuki Seki no To".

"The beguiling Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, who has appeared to thwart the forces of evil in the kabuki play “Love Story at the Snow-Covered Barrier.” Her kimono is printed in a very subdued grey-purple, befitting of a spirit, and is decorated with cherry blossoms. Cherry petals fall all around her like snow."

So with all our bases covered, let's get to tasting this Ghost #17, which I was said by my peers to have comically made a beeline towards the moment I entered the banquet hall that hosted the event.

It's a 4 Year Old Tsunuki, non-peated and matured in a first-fill bourbon barrel. 

Mars Whisky Tsunuki 2017, 4 Year Old, Non-Peated Single Malt First Fill Bourbon Barrel, 61% ABV, Bottled by Stefan van Eycken, Ghost Series #17 - Review

Color: Deep Honey 

Aroma: Sweet spiced honey, vanilla, caramel, straw. It is liquified pound cake, custard pudding, butter cookie dough. The cask takes the lead with lots of strength and firmness. Almost as if one was running into a bourbon wall. There's a fragrant cedar woodiness. 

It begins to let up to stone fruits - peaches and nectarines, mainly. Apple juice, pears, muscats, here it's more perfumery and softer as opposed to how it started off. Vanilla ice cream shows up as well, before emanating a forest-y herbaceousness of crushed eucalyptus or ivy leaf, twigs, forest floor and pine. This is where the whisky shines.

Taste: Consistent with its aromas, what you taste is exactly what you thought - perhaps richer and denser here. Medium to heavy bodied, syrupy viscous silky texture. Honey, maltose candy, hay, loads of vanilla, cream and butter notes - again very cask driven. It's sweet, accessible, very smooth and approachable with a nice warmth. More confectionary as well, marshmallows, and the cream in oreo cookies. Maltier here with more cereal and grain notes as well. 

This leads into more nashi pears, golden apple juice, banana flambe. This here is the whisky's doing. Cantaloupes, as well as white florals. Slightly medicinal here with a touch of crushed mint.

Finish: Long, great gentle embers, still very much confectionary, yellow fruits, with a light pepperiness. 

My Thoughts

This was quite enjoyable - nothing too complex here, straightforward easy drinking with a good array of your usual suspects where it comes to crowdpleasing flavors. It's a very much classic bourbon matured whisky, with the cask playing quite an active role here, which can make it a tad sweet. 

I think the value of a non-peated Tsunuki is that the distillate's fruitiness is given the all clear to come out and play more. It's not having to fight to get through the peat (although when balanced it is in my opinion impeccable when it hits that golden smoked fruits profile), which is probably more often than not when the whisky is still fairly young. Yet here it seems to wrestle with the cask quite a bit and plays a more backseat role. It would have been that much more enjoyable if it were more an equal tussle, perhaps a second-fill bourbon cask might have done the trick.

Nonetheless kudos for another solid whisky that was far too enjoyable to drink and more terribly, far too hard to find. I could see myself coming back to this often, if only I could find it.

Kanpai!

@111hotpot