Day #9 - 2022 Whiskey Advent Calendar

Day #9 - knocking out the second sample of the day. While I don't think I'll be able to erase the entire schedule deficit I am currently running, every inch counts. Oh and hey, the Glencairn is back from its vacation as well, so let's get to sniffing and sipping.

 

Barley and grain jump out in the early going. Day #8 was a blended Irish whiskey and Day #9 smells reminiscent of a muted version of that. Gentle incense, vanilla, barley sugar, fresh peaches, very little alcohol prickle. A perfectly fine, albeit pedestrian, nose. Nothing jarring nor memorable.

Vanilla, grain, and a touch of bitter sharpness headline the taste. In keeping with the nose, the alcohol is quite low in this whiskey, I'd wager we are in the standard 40% to 43% ABV range. Completely anticlimactic compared to the 65% of Day #8's proof bomb, but it's understandable to let off the gas a bit after that bat out of hell rocket ship. There is very little oak here, almost zero oak in fact. Certainly no barrel char, so the barrels that were used were either well-worn or perhaps brand new and lightly toasted. A very gentle, almost thin whiskey.

 

The finish is short to non-existent. Easily the shortest finish of the samples thus far. Not a whole lot to comment on here - some grain, some oak, some barley sugar. Nothing noteworthy. 

Overall the nose is the best part of the experience. Nose > Taste > Finish. This is, almost to a fault, a very gentle whiskey. Dare I say most would describe this whiskey as 'smooth'. This in and of itself is not a bad thing. In fact, for someone brand new to whiskey, this would be an excellent introductory pour. This whiskey is so gentle, so mellow, that my mind is racing back to Japan again. Because there is a prominent sharpness, I feel that there is grain whiskey in play here, a fair amount as well which means we are dealing with a blended whiskey here. In my experience, the blended whiskeys from Ireland and Scotland have a bit more froth, a bit more shake, rattle, and roll to them. In contrast, this whiskey is like a whisper - gentle aromas, gentle taste, an almost vacant finish. Let's call it - this is a blended Japanese whisky. There is some malt in there, but it's mostly grain. I don't think the age is very high, under 10 years. The strength is no higher than 43%, but 40% is more likely. As for maturation, this whiskey did not use potent barrels for aging. Definitely oak, but nothing exotic like ex-wine barrels.

 

My Guess

Type/Style: Blended Japanese Whisky

Region: Japan

Age: 6 to 10 years old

Maturation: Oak, ex-bourbon, virgin oak

Strength: 43% ABV

Producer: No idea

Sip, Mix, or Skip?: Skip

 

Reveal

Name: The San-In Blended Japanese Whisky

Type/Style: Blend of malt whisky (from Matsui) and grain whisky (sourced)

Region: Japan

Age: Non-age stated

Maturation: Unknown white oak casks

Strength: 40% ABV

Producer: Matsui Whisky

Price: $30

Official Tasting Notes

The Matsui Shuzo Distillery keeps a low profile. It’s almost enigmatic with no visitor center or direct sales. But the line Whiskies that comes out of their warehouses are very highly regarded — including ten Single Malts under the Kurayoshi brand and five grain Whiskies under their Tottori nameplate. All of them very popular with the discriminating dram-lovers across the Land of the Rising Sun.

Kurayoshi The San – In Blended Whisky is proof of their endless mastery. A blend of Mitsui’s own Malt and carefully sourced Grain Whiskies, it was aged in white oak barrels. The pure soft spring water from under Mount Daisen makes the fruity flavors even smoother and more mellow, making this a super approachable yet very well-structured Whisky. A Gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold at the International Spirits Challenge are just proof of our thoughts on paper: that this light and refreshing Whisky is an outstanding example of what modern Japanese Whisky can be.

Final Thoughts

Alright, alright, alright, not too shabby on this one McConaughey. I do applaud Japanese whisky producers (the legitimate ones that is) for their dedication to producing well-balanced, subtle whiskies. At their best, Japanese whiskies gently unfold layers of ever-changing flavors throughout the experience of any given pour. This particular whisky is too gentle to accomplish that multifaceted experience, but it is remarkably approachable. Also, at $30, a person new to whisky will absolutely find value here to experience a basic representation of the Japanese approach to whisky.

 

One item I take exception to is the description of 'Long and lingering' in the 'Finish' portion of the official tasting notes. Absolutely the opposite of my opinion. While flavors and aromas are highly subjective and personal, the length of a finish tends to be a bit more concrete across the spectrum of tasters. Had the tasting notes said 'moderate' or the like, I would silently disagree, but not pursue my dissent beyond that. Overall I'd say this whisky is a worthy purchase for those curious about Japanese whisky and/or folks just starting out sampling whisky neat. For all others, there is not much on offer here and for many, this whisky will land squarely in 'meh' territory.