Whiskylive Singapore Part 2: Hanyu The Game & Ichiro's 8 of Clubs

Who's got game?

Next, we had some fascinating whiskies from the Land of the Rising Sun. First up was a pair of Hanyus from Ichiro called The Game, one from a Mizunara cask (release #2) and the other from a Red Oak cask (release #3). These are special bottlings for Japanese spirits retailer Shinanoya and I believe almost impossible to find now. Those labels are absolutely gorgeous if anything else!

The Game 2nd Edition: Smells and tastes like a forest with fresh oak and grass dominating the palate initially followed by a vanilla sweetness and spicy, zesty lemon aftertaste. The Mizunara cask definitely adds an interesting dimension to this one.

The Game 3rd Edition: Herbacious with a little bite and peppery kick followed by a sweet minty finish. A very fine and elegant dram but if I had to pick, the Mizunara cask would be my choice.

 

A rare treat - 23 year Hanyu

To round off the Japanese whisky tasting, we tried a 3rd Hanyu which was the Ichiro's Malt 8 of clubs. This one is another exciting experiment by Ichiro to take an old Hanyu Hogshead cask and finishing it in an American Oak Puncheon.

Comments: An intriguing nose with vegemite, pepper and whiff of smoke. The taste is heavy on spice with hints of pine nuts and cocoa with a moderate slightly salty finish.

Tokyo tastings - Ichiro's Malt Single Cask, Balvenie from the 80s and The Spoon

Bar Keith named after the Glen Keith, the owner's favourite distillery

Tokyo always never ceases to amaze me with the infinite number of whisky bars that have fascinating collections. Went to Bar Keith in Shinjuku after doing whisky shopping in Shinanoya and had the fortune to try 3 sublime whiskies thanks to the owner Koji-san, who was extremely knowledgeable AND spoke decent English.

Interesting label for an Ichiro's Malt

First up was a hidden gem, an Ichiro's Malt Single Cask! Bottlings from the now defunct Hanyu distillery are really hard to come by these days. This is my first Ichiro's Malt review and hopefully many more to come from this cult whisky maker...

THE REVIEW

Comments: Bursting with fruits, citrus and plums come to mind, followed by hints of cinnamon and vanilla notes finished. Drops of water bring out the maltiness just a tad. Great whisky! If only I could get my hands on some.

Is this Balvenie masquerading as Cognac? 

I mentioned that Balvenie was one of my favourite distilleries and this was what showed up on the table, a 1980s bottling of a Balvenie 18! It must've been my lucky day as there was only 1 serving remaining in the bottle. I could see Koji-san holding back the tears as he poured the last drop from the bottle.

THE REVIEW

 

Comments: The distinct Balvenie cereal malt taste is more mellow and a fresh vanilla and oak finish hits you with hints of leather at the end. The water, barley and casks used must have been different back then. How the taste of Balvenie has evolved over the years.

Balvenie and Glenfiddich elope

Time for a nightcap and I was shown this interesting bottle called 'The Spoon' which is essentially a 23 year Balvenie single cask diluted with a teaspoon of Glenfiddich (in whisky circles Balvenie+teaspoon of Glenfiddich=Burnside). Apparently, this is done as stipulated by the distillery so the independent bottler cannot label the whisky they bought a single cask and dilute the parent distillery brand. Nonetheless, a 23 year Balvenie single cask is a 23 year Balvenie single cask, even if diluted with a drop of Glenfiddich. I was more intrigued by the cool label then anything else. On to the review...

 

Comments: Spice, honey and citrus tones with a medium long finish that is tannic and oaky at the same time. Quite enjoyable and a great way to end the night.

Glendronach 23 Years 1989 Cask 5470

How do you end a fantastic wine dinner night with good friends? With a great whisky of course! Found this hidden in my stash that I've been meaning to try for awhile.

THE REVIEW

 

Comments: Yummy raisins and citrus notes dominate with a long clean honeyed finish. Lovely, lovely stuff. If you love sherried whiskies, these Glendronachs are the way to go. I am becoming a fan...