HAKUSHU “DISTILLER’S RESERVE”

REVIEWS DETAILS

“It brings together aromas CATEGORY JAPAN • STYLE SINGLE MALT• ALCOHOL 43% normally linked to different AGE NO-AGE-STATEMENT • DISTILLEY HAKUSHU• PRICE $130+ ages well, at least on the nose, but on the palate you ’s Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve combines a young, lightly can’t stop thinking it’s young peated with an older, heavily peated malt rumored to be at whisky trying to feel older." least 18 years old. The delicate herby taste of the young combines Whisky Notes with the complexity of the old to create a whisky with fruity aromatics and gently buzzing spices that carry into the aftertaste. “It has a classic, but special profile, less floral than those like ... there is that PALATE undercurrent base layer of super slight chilled-out peat that makes it really unique.” NOSE Lela London Opens with a strong fruity smell, pears and banana, followed by mint, melon, cucumber, pine and a faint waft of biscuits, sawn oak “You're lying on the grass - and the tiniest hint of smoke. spearmint growing on one TASTE side, pine on the other, and More happening in the mouth than the nose suggests. Cereal and campfire smoke travels in the vanilla flavors quickly give way to a spicy pepper attack which breeze.” then fades into a lot of greenery – more mint and cucumber, grass, George Koutsakis grapefruit, yuzu and lemon thyme.

“As an introduction to FINISH you could A light, delicate finish with a mint confectionary taste melting into certainly do worse than this. pleasant fruit and subtle smoke. Don’t be afraid to give it a go in a highball with soda.” The Dramble

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DISTILLERY PROFILE HAKUSHU

FACT HIGHBALLS HISTORY

Highballs - a mix of whisky The Hakushu distillery – pronounced ak-shu (did someone and soda - are popular in sneeze?) – is one of only a few distilleries in the world to be Japan and Japanese whisky is located at a forested, high-elevation site. It is nestled at the foot of exceptionally well suited for Mount Kai Komagatake in Japan’s Kai province, about a 2-hour being mixed with water as it drive from Tokyo. At over 2,000 feet above sea level, it is Japan’s rarely loses it characteristic highest operational distillery. taste when water is added. Distillers create whisky so Built in 1973, owners Suntory tasked it with producing a whisky added water doesn’t dilute that was distinctly different from their older . the flavors, but enhances. Try The distillery was designed to co-exist with the surrounding a 1:4 ratio of whisky to soda environment, setting aside land to remain as forest and water in a chilled glass. establishing a neighboring wild bird sanctuary.

The name Hakushu means “white sandbar”. After running through the rock of Mount Kai Komagatake, rainwater joins the Ojira River, and forms a fan of white sand at the foot of the mountain. Considered to be one of Japan’s most exceptional water sources, the water is softer and has a much lower mineral content than the water used by other Japanese distilleries. The water quality, elevation and microclimate of the region are said to play a role in their spirit’s unique character.

LOCATION HAKUSHU