A sublime, characterful whisky with orange peel, olives, green walnuts and lemongrass, finishing long, fresh and oily.
Peaty, medicinal and smoky at first, it opens with water into fresh lemony peat, rounded by lemon marmalade, ashes and a hint of eucalyptus.
A streamlined whisky of superb lemony and chalky purity, with yellow fruits, grapefruit and a charming hint of tar.
A sumptuous, wildly complex whisky with mango, heather honey, camphor and eucalyptus, unfolding into waxes, tobacco and a long, rich finish.
Soft, beautifully fruity and floral, this Hibiki brings honeyed, mineral touches and lovely earthy, saline peat to a perfectly balanced finish.
A little woodier than the base version, with fresh oak, yellow fruits and sweetness emerging after water and mainly in the finish.
A magnificent cavalcade of sharp citrus fruits—lemons, kumquats, limes, bergamot, yuzu and finger lime—keeps rolling through the finish.
Rich and textured, this Shindo offers lemon cake, mochi and toasted sesame ice cream, followed by a high-definition lemon green tea palate with a pinch of salt.
A pleasant surprise: vanilla cake, honey yoghurt, syrupy root vegetables and saline fennel make this little Tottori rather good.
The reviewer calls it their favourite of the three, praising its fresh, pleasant finish with touches of lime, aniseed and mint.
A Chivas-like nose of overripe apple and nougat leads to a rather good, slightly rough palate, but the finish is short and cardboardy.
A floral nose gives way to pear on the palate and finish; while the cherry character is elusive, the reviewer quite likes this unusual profile.
Light and pleasant on the nose, it starts malty but drifts into cardboard and sawdust, with a few agreeable citrus notes and a short finish.
A wonderfully unusual whisky, combining an oily, mineral character with peppers, ashes and an unforgettable spicy tomato-sauce note.
A powerful, youthful whisky with speculoos, bitter orange and spice, becoming honeyed with water; its PX cask influence works very well.
A truly fine whisky with a finish of green tea and not quite ripe kiwi.
A very fine, taut whisky with chalk, green pepper, orchard fruit and herbaceous notes, finishing long, peppery and austere.
Molasses, maple syrup and pepper lead to sorrel, lemon zest and cardamom, while the finish turns long, intensely peppery and bitter.
