JAPANESE WHISKEY!

NIKKA COFFEY GRAIN SINGLE MALT WHISKEY $64.95ea. 750ml

Nikka Coffee Grain Whisky is a release of grain whisky from Japan's Nikka, produced mainly from corn using one of their continuous Coffey stills. Colour, A golden yellow. Aroma: Mint highlights with melon and citrus notes. Taste: Corn with melon and mint notes and a hint of mushrooms Finish: Creamy corn and mushrooms

NIKKA TAKETSURU PURE MALT 86 $63.95ea. 750ml 

Released in 2014, this no-age statement Taketsuru bottling is a blend of malts aged 10 years on average in different types of oak casks. A high percentage of Miyagikyo malt gives a fresh fruity character, joined by mature aromas of an important, sherry cask influence

OHISHI WHISKY SHERRY CASK & OHISHI WHISKY BRANDY $69.95ea. 750ml

The Ohishi distillery is located on the banks of the Kuma River, one Japan's fastest flowing rivers. The distillery was founded in 1872 and produces some of the most exciting whisky coming out of Japan. Ohishi grows at least 30% of the rice that they distill, and the fertile soils and exceptional growing climate make for some of the finest base ingredients available. The strain of rice is called "gohyakumanishi" (meaning "five million stones"), and an organic method of cultivation is utilized that requires the use of koi carp for weed control. The rest of the grain is procured from local farms in Kumamoto prefecture and is of the short grained Mochi variety. The grains are partially malted and then distilled on the traditional Japanese stills before being filled into ex-sherry and brandy casks and aged for a long time time in high-altitude warehouses.

FUKANO WHISKEY SINGLE CASK #281 $74.95ea. 750ml

This exceptional distillery in the city of Kumamoto on the southern island of Kyushu has been distilling since 1823. They're famous for a diverse offering of Shochus and high quality liqueurs, but a tiny portion of their production is devoted to malted rice distillation. In Japan, these old whiskies are not bottled as such, though they do meet the definition by American standards. Instead they use them to make their high-end liqueurs, which is sad for them, but GREAT for us. This rare spirit is aged much like bourbon in new charred oak casks. The result is something absolutely sublime and uniquely Japanese. While one might be expecting Shochu squared, we're in fact in a totally different arena altogether. Somewhere between scotch, bourbon and "other whisky", both the complexity of aromatics and texture on the palate are surprising. This cask has a vibrant nose of nut brittle, spiced fruit, lemon rind, and almond butter. A very subtle oceany quality persists in the back ground, a true bridge between Single Malt and Bourbon.

KIKORI WHISKEY$43.95ea. 750ml

Distilled in Japan, and made from 100% rice, Kikori Whiskey is a smooth and welcome newcomer to the whiskey category. Aged for 3+ years in American Oak, French Limousin oak and Sherry casks, Kikori is golden and pure in color with a floral and fragrant aroma and a velvety smoothness to the palate. Kikori Whiskey is pure water, quality ingredients, careful aging, meticulous blending and Japanese attention to detail–all combined to perfection. At 82 proof, Kikori delivers a distinctively different style of whiskey that is memorable, delicate and delicious.

Kikori is a Gold Medal winner at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

AKASHI JAPANESE WHISKY$39.95ea. 750ml

Akashi White Oak Japanese Whisky is crafted using specially-imported barley from Scotland, as well as pure water that comes from the same underground source Eigashima Distillery uses to make its sake. Once the barley is milled, mashed and distilled through Eigashima’s traditional pot stills, it is set to age in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks in the distillery’s newly-built warehouses. Due to Akashi City’s unique climate, with extremely hot summers and cool winters, as much as 7%-8% of Eigashima’s maturing whisky may be lost to evaporation each year, as opposed to the 2% commonly seen in Scotland. While this lowers still the overall production yield, it also acts as a catalyst for the maturation process, as the temperature swings encourage interaction between the whisky and the wood.

IWAI JAPANESE WHISKY$32.99ea. 750ml

This blend is named after Kiichiro Iwai. He is a mentor of Masataka Taketsuru. As a 14 year senior graduated from the same technical school, Iwai brought Taketsuru into the same brewery, then became his mentor in the company. Along with others in management, Iwai sent Taketsuru to Scotland to learn the art of whisky-making. As the first Japanese to learn the art, Taketsuru returned to Japan and presented a whisky-making report- the Taketsuru Notes- to Iwai. Taketsuru later went on to found Nikka Whisky, and then created Suntory Whisky. Years after that Iwai founded Mars Shinshu distillery with Taketsuru’s notes. As the mentor of The Father of Japanese Whisky, Iwai is referred to by some as The Silent Pioneer of Japanese Whisky. Colour: Dark caramel aste: Very high in viscosity. You can tell its richness that comes from its oily characteristic when you chew it in your mouth. It is very sweet indeed. Again, initially one can find strong similarities in it with grape-based spirits. However, things can become quite different upon second tasting. Finish: Upon finish, the aroma that comes back to the nostrils resoundingly similar to Bourbon whiskey. Then on that second tasting, the taste of Bourbon overtakes the initial fruity characteristic of Iwai.

IWAI TRADITION JAPANESE WHISKY$52.99ea. 750ml

Mars Iwai Tradition Japanese Whisky is soft and rounded, yet full bodied and mellow. The nose gives sweet honey, leading to a complex, peaty full bodied palate which gives sweet peat, orange marmalade, maple, burnt sugar cane, cedar and cigar

ICHIRO MALT AND GRAIN WHISKY$99.99ea. 750ml

A lovely blended whisky from Japan, created by Ichiro Akuto, the Japanese whisky extraordinaire. This particular gem is made with both malt and grain whisky from Japan as well as (possibly) some whisky from other countries too - the label describes it as "a worldwide blended whisky". Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt Nose: Peach and dried apricot, sweet butterscotch, vanilla cream, citrus zest, synthetic bananas and gooey malt. Palate: Toffee first and foremost, with notes of barley malt, gingerbread, tropical fruits, honeyed pipe tobacco lveas, black pepper, roasted chestnut and freshly cut hay. Finish: Medium length with vanilla and dried tropical fruit.