Japanese Whisky

Scores are on a 1-10. These scores are relative to each other, not to spirits in other catagories.

Whisky	Type	ABV	Score	Notes
Ohishi Brandy Cask 10yr	Rice Whisky	41.7%	6	Mild woody scent. Very subtle. Tastes a little bit of burnt wood, thinned out maple syrup and butter. Incredibly clean and light. Delicate finish.
Ohishi Sakura Cask	Rice Whisky	43.6%	5?	Mildly musty nose; woody, but not familiar. Slightly sweet. Pepper on the tip of the tongue, intensifies as it grows. Mildly sweet burnt sugar. So very different to any other spirit I’ve had. I don’t know how I feel about it.
Fukano 10yr	Rice Whisky	40.2%	9	Butterscotch and sandalwood, mild pear sweetness on the nose. Lots going on. Taste, has that sort of sweet oaky thing, but rather than straight vanilla like with American oak, there’s something a bit different there – a light buttery creaminess. Maybe faint creme brulee. There’s a floral quality. Vague caramel-adjacent flavor. Builds during the finish - sharp at the tip of the tongue, round and rich towards the back.
Fukano 12yr	Rice Whisky	43.1%	7	Butterscotch and sandalwood, mild pear sweetness on the nose. Smells almost identical to the 10 year. Taskes a bit different. Harsher on the attack; more alcohol bite. Adds pepper and coconut. Finish very light.
Ohishi Islay Cask Finish	Rice Whisky	42.8%	8	Peat smoke on the nose, but still a bit similar to the Ohishi Brandy Cask. That Islay peat and and brine really comes through. Seems to emphasize the umami of the fermented rice. A bit less sweet than the other rice whiskies. Mostly iodine on the finish.
Nikka Coffey Whiskey	Grain Whisky	45%	7	NAS, Strong nose of American oak, vanilla, and honeysuckle. Smooth, slightly syrupy. Strong vanilla, like an overly oaked chardonnay. Clean, slightly grainy finish. Excellent - need to pick up some. If you like that strong vanilla taste of Bourbon, but like the body of Scotch/Irish whiskey better, this is perfect for you.