- Introduction to whiskey purchased in May 2025
- 1st: Friends of Oak Blair Atholl 2015-2023 8 years
- 2nd bottle: Single malt Togouchi
- 3rd: Togouchi Hyakuseifuma
- 4th: Caden Head Glen Allahee 10 years old
- 5th bottle: Elixir A Roland Distillery 2009-2022 13 years
- 6th bottle: Sun Moon Ryokushu Moga Inn Glasgow 10 Year Old Original Blended Malt Whiskey
- 7th: Laphroaig Oak Select
- Closing Thoughts
- YouTube
Introduction to whiskey purchased in May 2025
This time, I would like to introduce the whiskey I purchased in May 2025, as I do every month.
Introduction of whiskey purchased in April 2025 is “here』。
1st: Friends of Oak Blair Atholl 2015-2023 8 years
The biggest feature of the Friends of Oak series is that it contains 46% water.
This time, it was distilled in 2015 and aged for 8 years in Blair Athol.
The barrels are bourbon barrels, but it has been revealed that they are using Koval barrels.
It has a bit of a bourbon flavor, and a thorny impression due to its youth, but overall it has a delicious taste of banana, black tea, tea leaves, and bourbon fruit.
I drank it at a bar, but after finishing it, I quickly went to Whiskey Plus and bought it.
Since there are only a few bottlings, it may be difficult to purchase from now on, but if you see it at a bar, be sure to give it a try.
2nd bottle: Single malt Togouchi
The sake distilled at the Sakurao Distillery and aged in a storage facility on the same premises is released as Sakurao, while the one aged in the Togouchi Storage Tunnel, which was once used for railways, is released as Togouchi.
The environment of the tunnel is very interesting, and during the rainy season, the humidity seems to reach 100%, and depending on the humidity, the alcohol content of some wines can drop to around 40 even after 3 to 5 years of aging.
The taste is light, with hints of green vegetables and fruits such as melon and kiwi.
The official bottling pairs especially well with highballs and is very reasonably priced for a Japanese whisky at ¥6,600. Some stores may also offer it by the measure, so this is definitely a bottle worth trying.
3rd: Togouchi Hyakuseifuma
I attended the Sakurao/Togouchi seminar held by Rudder in May, and was able to purchase Togouchi's Hyakusei Fuma.
A condition of purchase is that it must be purchased as a set with Sakurao Distillery products such as Single Malt Togouchi, and I purchased it at the same time as the Single Malt Togouchi.
When I tasted it, I could feel the kiwi all over it, and although it was light and had a strong taste of the original sake, it made me think that Togouchi is great.
There is also a slight peat, giving it an impression similar to the previously released MISTY.
It seems that there are almost no peated unblended sake from Togouchi anymore, so this is a bottle that will become valuable in the future.
If you see it at a bar, give it a try.
Regarding Sakurao, a new distillery will be built in Yoshiwa Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, around the fall of 2025.
With Chichibu's second distillery, Tomakomai's Grain, Akkeshi planning to build a second distillery in Furano, and Niigata Kameda also planning to build a second distillery in Myoko, Niigata, I think there is a movement towards companies building second and third distilleries.
I think there will be changes in the size and shape of stills and pot stills, and the material of fermentation tanks, so I think we can expect Japanese whiskey to continue to grow in the sense that the range and thickness of the original whiskey will expand and become thicker.
4th: Caden Head Glen Allahee 10 years old
Normally, my motto is to drink it and if it tastes good, I'll buy it, but I ended up buying this one without drinking it. .
If you were to ask me to name one of my favorite distilleries, it would be difficult to answer, but one of my favorite distilleries is Glen Allahee.
Speaking of Glen Allahi, it comes from sherry casks, and of course Glen Allahi made from sherry casks is also delicious. .
I especially like Glen Allahee's bourbon, it's delicious.
However, I think it also has to do with the brand's image, and bourbon barrels are not often released, so one bottle a year or not. .
There are quite a lot of people who like Glen Allahee made with bourbon barrels, so I decided to reserve it for now since it might sell out quickly.
Although it does contain water, I think it makes it easier to drink, so it's probably delicious.
5th bottle: Elixir A Roland Distillery 2009-2022 13 years
This is a 13-year-old bottle distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2022.
Although Roland and the distillery name are blurred out, you can guess from the picture on the label that the wine inside is Glenkinchie.
This is not a bottle that was released recently, but a bottle that was distributed in Japan around the end of 2023.
At the time, I drank it at a bar and thought it was a delicious bottle with elements of vanilla and citrus, more like pine and peach.
At around 15,000 yen, it was very easy to buy, and at the time, it was sold out at every store, so you couldn't buy it at the time. .
However, in May 2025, Komaspi bought what was left at the wholesaler, and I was able to purchase what was on sale and have it for about a year and a half.
6th bottle: Sun Moon Ryokushu Moga Inn Glasgow 10 Year Old Original Blended Malt Whiskey
This is the third in the series called Nichige Ryokushu, released by Shinanoya.
It is a blended malt whisky, so although it is blended, it does not contain grain whisky.
Key malt is a malt whiskey owned by Roland's Diageo company, and this is also Glenkinchie.
It has a honeyed taste and fruity elements, which makes it delicious.
I asked the staff at Shinanoya, where I often go, if I could have something that would go well with non-peated water or highballs, and she introduced me to this one.
To be honest, I don't usually buy this, so I thought it would be nice to buy something like this once in a while, so I bought it and it was delicious.
The price is 7,500 yen, but it's in a price range that is easy for a bottler to buy, and official brands like Yamazaki Hakushu and Islay also sell around this price, so I think it's a high price for whiskey overall.
It's a non-peat drink that goes well with water and highballs, making it perfect for those who are wondering what to drink this coming season.It's sold out online, but I think you can buy it in stores, so if you're interested, please buy it.
7th: Laphroaig Oak Select
This is also one that I asked the clerk at Shinanoya to give me something that would go well with a peat highball, and he recommended it to me.
Laphroaig 10 years, I hope you will think of it as a lower rank without the number of years written.
It was previously sold as Laphroaig Select Cask, but due to the label change in 10 years, it was also renewed and became Laphroaig Oak Select.
I think Laphroaig has a light taste, but if you drink it straight, it feels a little unsatisfactory, but if you drink it as a highball, you can feel the peat, and I think it's more like an Islay or Laphroaig highball, so I think a highball would be the best way to drink it.
You can buy it for 5,000 yen, and the list price for Laphroaig 10 Year is about 7,000 yen, so considering this price difference, I think Oak Select is a good choice.
However, depending on the location, the 10-year version is discounted and you can buy it for around 5,000 to 6,000 yen, so in that case, I think I would recommend the 10-year version.
I haven't had it in 10 years since the label changed, so I think I'll give it a try if I get a chance, although there are rumors that it has become thinner.
Closing Thoughts
I think I was able to find something that I wouldn't buy much myself this month.
Basically, I choose and buy whiskey based on whether I'm interested in it, and at bars I usually name the brand I want to drink.
However, lately I've noticed that my tastes and preferences have become a bit biased, so I thought it would be a good idea to order something recommended by a bar or liquor store employee and try it or buy it.
We will continue to purchase items in June 2025, so we will post separately, so please look forward to it.
YouTube
