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Whiskey-San
By Kent Black
Photo by Shana Novak
(click image to enlarge)
The first time I heard about Japanese whiskey, I thought it was one of those perverse marketing ploys by our brothers in the East...something along the lines of the Japanese Elvis or Kobe beef burgers or Japanese Westerns. Though I was briefly tantalized by the idea of a marketing campaign featuring Japanese schoolgirls in argyle kilts, the very idea of a deep, smokey, complex single malt from the land of karaoke made me wince. Surely, someone was pulling my sporran.
Then again, this is the land of some of the most conscientious and gifted craftspeople in the world, capable of elevating woodworking, cuisine and even paper folding into high art. If anyone was likely to match the Scots at their own sacred game, perhaps it could be the Japanese.
I was able recently to obtain a bottle of 12 year old Yamazaki single malt from the Suntory Distillery, the oldest in Japan founded in 1923 on the outskirts of Kyoto. I was immediately struck by the faint smell of fruit (apricots?) and honey mixed with a trace of the oak in which the whiskey is aged. I swirled a half inch of the whiskey around in a Waterford old fashioned glass for a few minutes trying to identify the various aromas. They were intriguing. I poured a couple tablespoons of water in the glass and, like many good whiskies, it helped open up the aromas a bit more. There was definitely something mysterious going on. Beyond the fruit and honey, there was also whiffs of smoke and....god help me...peat. It was time for a drink.
What surprised me the most was how little surprised I was by the taste. Not unpleasantly. I think I'd unconsciously prepared my taste buds for something odd, even off putting. In fact, while possessing a flavor all its own (the honey and apricots were definitely there), it also put me in mind of some of my favorite Scottish single malts such as Macallan's. Held in the mouth it has a deep, rich smokey taste and once swallowed leaves a slightly sweet taste in the mouth. It fairly cries out for a good cigar. In short, it is a whiskey I look forward to sampling more of this winter in front of a nice fire with a book in hand ... but not a Scot like Stevenson. I think Kenzaburo Oe would be a more likely choice.
Suntory is also releasing its Yamazaki 1984 single malt whiskey in a limited edition of 300 this year. Yamazaki 18 year old ($120) and 12 year old single malt, ($45) are available through most spirit and wine stores. yamazakiusa.com
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