Suntory Blended Whisky, 和馨, 43% abv.

This bottling was made by Suntory Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo for Shinanoya with a supposed outrun of 539 bottles. The label calligraphy was drawn by Master Shoshu. Word on the street was that this blend incorporated many older Yamazaki mizunara casks, including those from the famous 1984 vintages. The bartender suspects the "wa-kyo" blend has many mizunara casks in it from the taste as well.

Nose: eerily similar to chinese cooked peanuts with pickled vegetables, adds some baked ham in there, soy sauce, cooked salted vegetables, miso, chinese cooking rice wine sooo traditional chinese food. Damn this is nice.

Palate: smooth, drying, good body, complex and balanced, initial palate has sweet honey which transitions into a mid palate where chocolate appears, heavy honey all over, slightly floral, more controlled honey baked spices, heavy flavors all over to be honest, and then the back palate has a nice thick honey coat all over my mouth, seriously reminds me of honey baked ham as the flavors progress. Later on I get honey baked meats with clamshells, scallop shells, and hints of dried scallops all mixed in a sake reduced soup, there is some light crustacean flavor in there, but I can't seem to figure it out.

Finish: baked apple pie, honey, floral, mashed pollen.

This was amazing!!! Extremely hard to believe its a blended whisky and at only 43% abv to boot! Extremely well balanced to let all those flavors come out. Delicious and impressive from beginning to end. I love the aromas, reminds me of all those Chinese dishes and associations with a grand Chinese meal. Actually, I feel it's a collection of flavors I would have had if I had a Chinese meal. I am speechless. Bartender said he suspects there is alot of mizunara in this one.

Grade: A

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Image courtesy of Eric Yee.

Eric Yee

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