An excellent example of this is the Experimental Grain Whisky released by Compass Box. So do read your ingredients because it could still be 100% malted barley but be called “grain”. This definition also applies to some Scotch “grain whisky” that has gone through a different distillation process. Since this whisky is not distilled in a pot still, it cannot be officially called “malt whisky” and is, thus, still referred to as “grain whisky”. There are two more points I want to discuss before covering tasting notes. It is then similarly aged in re-charred casks, bottled at the very same 45% ABV and sold a bit higher, at £62. In this batch, the distillery essentially replaced the grain with 100% malted barley.
After it scraped at my tongue, it became easier and softer to drink, but it’s hard to forget the initial clench of a handshake in our first introduction. It’s more bitter than sweet, with a high ramp-up of alcohol, even after I eat some salty edamame to see if it would change the palette. It has a relatively short finish with a dreary aftertaste. It’s pretty fierce on the first sip, with a razor-cut slice of the spirit, torn by rough edges of the grain. There are hints of bourbon on the nose, but it’s slightly darker and a little hard. The distillery says that this product meets all of the criteria of a “ Japanese whisky“, as outlined above, so there is nothing in here from outside of Japan. It is then matured in refill, re-made, and re-charred American oak casks before being bottled at 45% ABV and sold for somewhere around £58. This Coffey Grain release uses mainly corn as the grain of choice. In this pairing, the process of distillation is identical, but the main ingredient is changed. The two Coffey stills used in the production were imported by Masataka Takestsuru from Scotland (in 1963 and then in 1966) to Nikka’s Miyagikyo distillery. Let’s get right into it, but first, we need music! Now playing: bvdub – Resistance Is Beautiful. Up for a tasting today, before the meal, but with an accompaniment of salted edamame, are two of the Nikka‘s expressions from a Coffey still. Even the water must come from Japan, but the rule still allows for “ some portion of malted grain” in its mash, so we may still have to guess as to its true makeup. This shouldn’t stop me from enjoying the liquid, right? Well, by 2024, all products labelled as “Japanese whisky” must be fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in Japan.
Some of it may be coloured by the fact that many distilleries hid the original source of their ingredients and, prior to the most recently announced regulation, have even repackaged Scotch whisky under the Japanese label. I’m having a sort of love-hate relationship with the Japanese whiskies lately. So if you like this, stick around for other writeups! Hopefully, we’ll also learn something along the way. Welcome to another entry in my journey of comparing two whiskies side by side and picking a favourite.
0 kommentar(er)
