This time, we will introduce the whiskey purchased in November 2025 as usual every month.
Introducing the whiskeys purchased in October 2025:here』
- 1st bottle: T&T TOYAMA Togouchi 2020 4 years
- 2nd bottle: The Whiskey Exchange Scapa 2003 19 years
- 4th bottle: Shinanoya Panama 2004 17 Years Barrel
- 5th bottle: Shinanoya GM Carrilla 2008 15 Years Refill Bourbon Barrel
- 6th bottle: Loch Lomond 12 Years
- 7th bottle: Glen Grant Alboraris
- 8th bottle: Finlagan
- 9th bottle: Kanosuke Whiskey Talk Fukuoka 2025
- Closing Thoughts
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1st bottle: T&T TOYAMA Togouchi 2020 4 years
This is a heavily peated unblended whiskey distilled in 2020 and aged for 4 years in a bourbon barrel.
When I think of Togouchi's Pete type, I think of Misty, or Togouchi from Rudder's Hyakuseifuma series.
These had a melon-like and kiwi-like flavor and were very delicious.
If I recall correctly, when I attended a seminar, I heard that they said that there were not many peated whiskeys left in Togouchi, so I thought I had to buy this, so I bought it.
I haven't opened the bottle yet, but it seems to have good reviews so I'm looking forward to it.
2nd bottle: The Whiskey Exchange Scapa 2003 19 years
This is Scapa for "The Whisky Exchange" which can be said to be a representative personal import.
Distilled in 2003, bottled in 2022, and aged for 19 years in 1st fill American oak barrels.
A bottle released in the past costs about 50,000 yen.
The sale has already ended, but a sale was being held on The Whiskey Exchange, and you could buy it for 23,000 to 25,000 yen, including shipping and other expenses.
I happened to have a chance to drink it at a bar, and it tasted like apple and citrus, with a hint of cream in the second half.I wouldn't buy it if it was 50,000 yen, but I thought it would be okay to buy it if it was 25,000 yen, so I personally imported it for the first time in a while.
You can still buy it, but personally I don't recommend buying it for 50,000 yen. .
However, I've seen products imported by dealers at this time listed on Yahoo Auctions for around 20,000 yen or so, so I think it's okay to buy them for less than 30,000 yen.
If you see it at a bar, drink it and then consider it.
3rd bottle: Scarlet Moscato Amaro
It's not whiskey, it's liqueur.
Amaro itself is a herbal drink made by steeping herbs, roots, and skins of plants in spirits.
Scarlett established the Japanese Amaro brand, and the oranges released in spring and the peach and fruit amaros released in summer are especially popular.
And from this year, this Moscato Amaro made with Shine Muscat will be released around autumn.
It has the taste of Muscat and the nuances of medicinal herbs, and I think it would be best to drink it with tonic or sonic to get a more Muscat-like taste.
Apparently there were only a few copies, and officially it sold out in seconds, so I'm relieved that I managed to buy it.
I think it will be difficult to purchase from now on, so if you couldn't buy it this year, please look forward to next year, and if you see it at a bar, give it a try.
4th bottle: Shinanoya Panama 2004 17 Years Barrel
It's not whiskey, it's rum.
I've had it before, and I thought it was a good rum for the price, with hints of vanilla and caramel, a hint of tropical fruit, and gluey esters.
You can still buy it even after a period of time has passed since its release, so I was wondering if I could buy it someday. .
On November 8th, some stores had events before and after that, but Shinano-ya held a bug-like sale where they offered 10% off all products in the store.
There have been sales on some brands in the past, but this seems to be the first time that all products, including PB, are on sale. .
So I bought it!
I think it's a good release, and although the store sale has ended, I think you can still buy it, so if you're interested, please try it somewhere and buy it.
5th bottle: Shinanoya GM Carrilla 2008 15 Years Refill Bourbon Barrel
This is one that was released by Shinanoya around July.
Distilled in 2008, bottled in 2023, aged 15 years in refill bourbon barrels.
Around July, Asaya Shoten's and Tofu's Calila were becoming a hot topic, and I bought them as well, so I thought that Calila would be good, so I ignored them. .
I had a chance to drink it afterwards, and it tasted like peat, saltiness, grapefruit, citrus, and nuts.
It was Karilla-like, with peat and citrus, so I thought it would be a good idea to buy it. .
There was a 10% off sale, so I decided to buy it!
Even if it's a good release, depending on the timing, it might not become a hot topic, so this was one of those movies where I think timing is difficult.
6th bottle: Loch Lomond 12 Years
Loch Lomond has become a loser in whiskey lucky bags, but it's delicious.
The single cask has a chemical fruitiness, but the Official 12 Year Old has a slightly tropical feel.
The price is around 4000 yen, so I recommend buying this instead of buying a bad bottle.
By the way, I also bought this at Shinanoya's 10% off sale.
7th bottle: Glen Grant Alboraris
I bought Glen Grant Alboralis for the first time in a while.
Until now, he had established an overwhelming position as a cost performance highball player. .
The price increase in 2023 will bring it to nearly 3,000 yen, making it the same price as Glen Grant 10 years, so I think it has lost its position.
However, the price has been reduced starting from September 1, 2025, and the price is almost the same as before, and I think its status as a cost performance highball has improved.
It's reasonably priced, so if you haven't been drinking it lately, you might want to buy it.
I also bought this at Shinanoya's 10% off sale, so I was able to purchase it even cheaper.
8th bottle: Finlagan
I also bought Finlagan for the first time in a while.
The unblended spirit from a distillery somewhere in Islay is used, but it is said to be almost exclusively Calilla.
I think it's Kalila too.
When you drink it compared to Calila 12 years, you can clearly see that it is Calila.
Most of the identity has been revealed, but the name is kept private, but you can buy Islay single malt for around 3,500 yen, so I think it's a great deal.
This is also recommended as it is an excellent highball personnel.
I also bought this at Shinanoya's sale.
9th bottle: Kanosuke Whiskey Talk Fukuoka 2025
This is an event limited bottle for Whiskey Talk Fukuoka 2025.
A lottery was held and I won the prize.
Since it's a bat, there were a decent number of bats, 540, but the winner was the winner.
It was distilled in 2019 and bottled in 2025, so I think it was aged for 5 or 6 years.
It is aged in Manzanilla Jabut, which is relatively dry among sherry types.
I haven't been able to open it yet, but it's a bottle I'm really looking forward to.
Closing Thoughts
In terms of new whiskey releases, I think Togouchi and Kanosuke are the best.
I think it was a month when I was more likely to buy past releases because of the sales at Shinano-ya and The Whiskey Exchange, rather than buying new releases.
I buy a lot on sale, so I ended up paying a fair amount. .
New products have been announced one by one, and as usual, from mid-November to the end, companies have been announcing large-scale and topical releases that can be considered the year-end sales season.
I think people are getting excited about tasting these new releases at the Whiskey Festival in Tokyo in December.
I've already made reservations for some purchases in December, and I'll be attending a whiskey festival, so I don't think I'll want to count them anymore in December, but I think I'll be selective and make purchases.
Please look forward to the next month's posting schedule.
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