This time, we will introduce some delicious whiskeys that we bought in October 2024 or drank at bars.
1st: Shinanoya Benrines 1997 25 years 1st Phil Sherry Hogshead
This is a bottle of Ben Lines, distilled in 1997 and aged for 25 years in 1st fill sherry hogshead, released by Shinanoya.
It has a solid brown sugar and rich berry and raisin flavor, typical of a 1st fill sherry.
The fruitiness of the unprocessed sake gives it a tropical impression, while the latter half has a hint of black tea, as well as the astringency and tannins of barrels or sherry.
The 1st fill sherry has a barrel flavor, but it was a nice bottle that really brought out the goodness of the original sake.
I would buy it just for the taste, and I can understand why Benrines from the 90's are valuable. .
When the price is 60,000 yen, it is truly out of reach. .
This is one bottle I'm glad I was able to drink at a bar.
2nd bottle: Ichiro's Malt & Grain 20th Anniversary Edition
This bottle was released to commemorate Venture Whiskey's 20th anniversary.
In addition to Chichibu, we also use a generous amount of unblended sake from closed Japanese distilleries such as Hanyu, Karuizawa, and Kawasaki, as well as Benriac and overseas unblended distilleries.
All of the unblended sake used is over 10 years old, making it a luxurious bottle that can be marked with a 10-year mark.
Ichiro's Malt & Grain blended whiskey is often released in private bottles at bars and shops.
I try to drink these whenever I see them at a bar. .
There are a lot of strange barrel releases, and in the case of sherry or wine barrels, the barrel flavor is too strong, so honestly I don't think there's much point in blending many bottles.
Honestly, white label products are cheaper and more readily available, giving you a more blended feel.
However, this bottle had a complex flavor typical of a blended product, and the fruitiness of a long-aged unblended sake, giving it a taste that made me feel the meaning of being a blended product.
It's a little hard to find, but if you see it, you'll definitely want to try it or buy it.
3rd bottle: Shinanoya Craigellahi 2006 16 year refill sherry butt
This is a bottle of Craigellachi distilled in 2006 and aged for 16 years in a refill sherry butt, released by Shinanoya.
Since it's a refill sherry and a vat, it doesn't have that strong of a barrel feel, and you can feel the barley and oiliness of the original sake while still having a faint sherry-like feel.
For some reason, it has Japanese elements like red bean paste and tea, and it's delicious.
In terms of price, I think it's in the cost-effective category at 16,500 yen excluding tax and 1,000 yen x the number of years.
I sampled it at Shinanoya store, and it was so good that I decided to buy it on the spot.
Closing Thoughts
I was planning to participate in Hachioji Whiskey Street in October 2024. .
By the time I was able to go, the advance tickets were sold out. .
There seemed to be tickets available on the day, but there is a limit on the number of tickets, so I didn't go because I was worried that I might go to Hachioji but be sold out and not be able to attend. .
It seems like a better strategy would be to buy tickets in advance for whiskey events and try to make it convenient for you. .
Despite that, I didn't go to many bars, so this is a rather short introduction.
Every year, towards the end of the year in November and December, good releases of Japanese whiskey and bottlers increase, so the chances of finding a good bottle will increase.
I hope to continue going to bars and other places in November 2024 and finding delicious bottles.
