THE TOP FIVE JAPANESE WHISKIES

LEADING 12 YO JAPANESE WHISKIES IN THE WORLD

The top five of Japan’s 12-year-old whiskies are: Yamazaki, Hakushu, Nikka Taketsuru, Nikka Miyagikyo and Hibiki. Drink them as you like, but note that the Japanese typically add a dash (or a lot) of water. I use between 5 and 10 drops of water, using a pipette or drinking straw. I like Yamazaki the most.I have included the Yoichi 10-year-old as a very close 6th.

                                                            

1. Suntory Yamazaki

The Sweetest:

The first seriously marketed whisky from the distillery that started it all: Yamazaki 12-year-old.

Yamazaki Distilley is in southwestern Kyoto at the foot of Mt.Tennozan. It has access to high-quality water, which is even mentioned in the Man'yoshu, the ancient anthology of Japanese poetry, and the specific natural environment vital in whisky-making. Whisky-making at Yamazaki Distillery is notable for its wide variety of whiskies, unique at a global level. For example, they select among wooden and stainless steel washbacks in the fermentation process, between different sizes and shapes of pot stills in the distillation process, and between various kinds of casks in the maturation process, creating a highly diverse variety of whiskies at every step of the process from mashing through fermentation, distillation, and maturation.

The various whiskies matured in casks pass into the care of the blenders. The blenders evaluate the extent of maturation of whisky in each cask and carefully select and determine the combination of whiskies that will best be vatted into a final product with exactly the right characteristics. They taste up to two or three hundred types of whisky a day, and predict when each cask will be at its best and when it should be used.

These skillful craftsmen also manage their collection of whiskies by foreseeing what kind of whiskies will be needed in the future. Given the long time required from mashing until the product is ready, whisky-making can be considered "collaborative work between blenders of the past, present, and future." In 2003, the Yamazaki 12 Years Old single malt whisky produced at Yamazaki Distillery became the first Japanese whisky to win the gold medal at the ISC (International Spirits Challenge)-a highly authoritative spirits competition in the world. Suntory has continued to win awards for its whiskies, earning global recognition for Japanese whisky.

This is the classic, and for good reason. It’s light. It’s floral. It’s delicious. For what you’re getting, it’s reasonably priced. On the nose, one gets hints of zest and honey, and the palate, smooth and sweet, brings flavors of citrus with some vanilla oakiness. If you have a snobbish friend who insists on Scotch, a glass of Yamazaki should be the first class in a course of conversion to the Japanese path. 

2. Suntory Hakushu

The Smokiest:

Hakushu Distillery was established in 1973. It is located in the foothills of Mt. Kaikomagatake in Japan's Southern Alps, where cool, clear waters flow through a pristine forest environment. Hakushu is the verdant single malt Japanese whisky born in Suntory's Hakushu Distillery. Made from water with a rare softness and maturing in a lush forested microclimate, Hakushu's renowned single malt Japanese whiskies are blessed by the region's ever-changing seasons—each leaving their own verdant signature. Refreshingly herbal and gently smoky, Hakushu is embraced as the intriguing single malt Japanese whisky from the award-winning House of Suntory Whisky.

Hakushu, Suntory’s third American release, comes in a green bottle (a rarity among most clear-bottled Japanese whiskies) that hints at its “green” flavor profile: leaves and fruits, particularly pear. Marketed as the “fresh” whisky, Hakushu 12-year-old comes from the forests at the base of the Southern Japanese Alps. However, you’d be forgiven if you mistake this for an Islay malt. Even thoroughbred tasters often fail to separate the two. The use of peated barley, imported from Scotland, gives the whisky a smoky nose that suggests seaside origins; then you taste the delicate whisky, and find yourself transported to the forests of Japan.

A remarkable expression of Japanese whisky crafted with meticulous attention to detail. This exquisite 12-year-old single malt from the renowned Suntory distillery embodies the spirit of nature, with each sip transporting you to the untouched forests of Japan's Southern Alps. Carefully selected and aged in traditional casks, this whisky offers a harmonious balance of flavours that captivate the senses. The nose is greeted by a fresh and invigorating bouquet, reminiscent of lush green forests, with delicate notes of citrus, pear, and a hint of mint. As it glides across the palate, a gentle sweetness emerges, accompanied by vibrant fruity tones and the subtle presence of oak.

A remarkable expression of Japanese whisky crafted with meticulous attention to detail. This exquisite 12-year-old single malt from the renowned Suntory distillery embodies the spirit of nature, with each sip transporting you to the untouched forests of Japan's Southern Alps. Carefully selected and aged in traditional casks, this whisky offers a harmonious balance of flavours that captivate the senses. The nose is greeted by a fresh and invigorating bouquet, reminiscent of lush green forests, with delicate notes of citrus, pear, and a hint of mint. As it glides across the palate, a gentle sweetness emerges, accompanied by vibrant fruity tones and the subtle presence of oak.

This whisky boasts a smooth and refined finish that lingers, leaving a satisfying warmth that resonates long after the last sip. Its craftsmanship and artistry have earned it accolades from whisky enthusiasts worldwide, cementing its place as a beloved addition to any connoisseur's collection. Whether you are a seasoned whisky aficionado or new to the world of Japanese whisky, Hakushu 12YO single malt is an exceptional choice that showcases the mastery of Suntory's distillation techniques. Indulge in this unparalleled sensory experience and discover the magic of Hakushu.

This whisky boasts a smooth and refined finish that lingers, leaving a satisfying warmth that resonates long after the last sip. Its craftsmanship and artistry have earned it accolades from whisky enthusiasts worldwide, cementing its place as a beloved addition to any connoisseur's collection. Whether you are a seasoned whisky aficionado or new to the world of Japanese whisky, Hakushu 12YO single malt is an exceptional choice that showcases the mastery of Suntory's distillation techniques. Indulge in this unparalleled sensory experience and discover the magic of Hakushu.

3. Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt 45% ABV 700/ 750ml

The Most Surprising:

Miyagikyo Single Malt is a range of single malt expressions from the Miyagikyo Distillery. Nikka's founder Masataka Taketsuru chose a valley in the Miyagi prefecture as the site for his second distillery, and started its operation in 1969. He aimed to make a complete contrast between the two distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi, with different natural environments and production methods.

Miyagikyo malts are described as elegant and fruity. Made from light peated and non-peated malted barley, whiskies distilled in pot stills heated by indirect steam express a signature fruitiness and delicate mouthfeel. This no-age-statement version was released in 2016 as a permanent product that showcases the elegant style of Miyagikyo malts, when all age-statements were discontinued. This bottling has estery aromas generated by carefully selected yeast strains along with distinctive Sherry cask influence.

When you nose this whisky, it releases little by the way of aroma. It takes ten minutes to settle and a second sniff yields heavy doses of toffee and caramel. The taste — full of strong, sweet vanilla — mimicks the nose’s form: slow to build, but impressive at its peak.Very classy finish.

4. Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt

The Smoothest:

This is a signature label in honour of Nikka's founder Masataka Taketsuru, the first Japanese who mastered whisky-making in Scotland and brought this expertise back to Japan. While being a disciplined craftsman, he was also a person of curiosity and open-mindedness. This is a tribute to Masataka from his successors, highlighting a perfect balance with complexity achieved by precise blending inherited from the founder.

Interestingly, this is a vatted malt (a blend of single malts) and not blended whisky, released for the first time just last year. It combines 12-year-old malts from Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. The darkest of the five whiskies (though still light, as far as whiskies go), the Taketsuru wows your taste with its even balance and smooth finish.

Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt leads with creamy honey and vanilla, bright pear / pineapple / starfruit, toasted biscuit and roasted oak, a very faint hint of smoke, and subtle dark fruit that’s easy to miss. It’s generally a bright, sweet, and vibrantly fruity malt whisky that smell-wise reminds me most of Miyagikyo. However, honey dominates the palate — so much so, in fact, that you feel like you are drinking straight from a honeycomb.

After swirling there’s a mix of creamy honey, vanilla, and roasted grains, followed by pear, starfruit, grapefruit, roasted oak, cinnamon, and hints of coffee grounds. None of that is surprising because Miyagikyo and Yoichi are distilled exactly the same way. And just like Yoichi, there’s that gentle hint of smoke that was expected to be stronger. Like Miyagikyo, the dark fruit / date is easy to miss. The heat has a bigger presence than it should. Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt Whisky smells nice, but falls short of richness and depth because it’s still young.

5. Suntory Hibiki

The Sexiest Bottle

Housed in a distinct, multi-faceted, corked (!) bottle, or decanter, this Suntory whisky looks like something pulled from Noel’s personal bar. Although the nose is a bit sharp, the Hibiki gains points for using whisky aged in Mizunara, a rare Japanese oak, as well as casks formerly used to hold Japanese plum liqueur. Like the Nikka Miyagikyo, the Hibiki is rich and thick, bordering on syrupy. The taste mirrors the honey and vanilla of other offerings, but with an oily texture and small notes of fruit.

Hibiki is the paragon of harmony—launched in 1989 to commemorate Suntory's philosophy of living in harmony with people and nature. The name Hibiki means "resonance" in Japanese. Suntory Whisky Hibiki resonates with the subtleties of nature infused by the 24 seasons of Japan's traditional calendar and reflected in the 24 facets of its bottle's design. Hibiki is a blend that is embraced as an icon of Japanese luxury from the award-winning House of Suntory Whisky.

Inspired by the subtleties of Japanese seasons and mastered by Suntory's Art of Blending, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a noble and meticulous blended whisky. American White Oak malt whiskies create a solid base. The rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) and sherry cask malt whiskies are the dressing. The smoky malt whiskies enact as subtle accents to create depth and further complexity. Grain whiskies from Suntory's Chita distillery act as the dashi, or broth, to complete the personality of the malt whiskies and enhance their overall harmony. Hibiki Japanese Harmony is extremely versatile.

Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, blended with water or mixed as a cocktail, the harmony of this blend remains complete. It is a delicately balanced, smooth and subtly sweet blended whisky that enhances any dining experience. Luminous and delicate, it promotes a transparency that unveils complexity. Hibiki Harmony is best enjoyed with a hand-carved ice ball for the ultimate Japanese whisky experience. Hibiki is embraced as the paragon of the Art of Japanese Whisky. It is not only Japan's most highly awarded blended whisky, but also among the most and honored whiskies in the world.

Colour: Amber.
Nose: Rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood.
Palate: Honey-like sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate.
Finish: Subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara oak.

6. Yoichi 10 YO

A very well made single malt from Japan, Yoichi is the jewel in Nikka's crown for a 10 year old.

This is a single malt from Nikka’s first distillery established in 1934. The founder Masataka Taketsuru chose Yoichi in Hokkaido because of the similar environmental conditions to Scotland, where he learned whisky-making. Along with Yoichi’s original smokiness, this 10-year-old version offers round maturity generated over years integrated with distinctive peaty, well-balanced woody and delicate herbaceous notes.

Nikka has finally brought back age-stated Japanese whiskey with Yoichi 10 Year Single Malt. The first release, ~late 2022, of around 10,000 bottles was only sold in Japan, but this is a second larger batch for Japan, the US, and other markets. The bad news though is that it’s far from affordable at US$150-250.

The Yoichi distillery is located in a secluded area about 1 hour west of Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido. It’s the northern-most part of Japan, so it’s out of the way for many travellers, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. Since the distillery is so far north, it also experiences long and intense winters, with Sapporo city no stranger to 18-24 inches of snow. As a result, those intense winters will have an impact on how Nikka Yoichi Single Malt ages. Ageing will be very slow during the long colder season from late fall into early spring, with a huge temperature swing into the summer that’s probably more like Kentucky than Scotland.

Nose: At first, bright floral honey, honeysuckle, cantaloupe, Asian pear, green grape, pineapple, fennel, and just a little roasted oak, roasted grain, dried mushroom, dark chocolate, and mint. Yoichi 10 Year smells a lot like aged Fino sherry (minus any nuttiness) or aged white wine. Yoichi is peated, but it’s faint at best. The viscosity and level of fragrance are actually really good for 45% ABV. It has the 45% ABV heat but low 50% density.

Palate: The flavours start with honey, honeysuckle, pear, pineapple, green grape, gentle smoke and fungal peat, roasted oak, mint, and fennel. Yoichi 10 Year is bright, fruity, and tropical at first, but the smoke and peat comes out a little bit for that peaty mist around the tropicality. The peat isn’t subtle, but it’s also not big and burly. Yoichi 10 Year tastes really good and feels like an extra-aged Fino sherry. The viscosity and actually good mouthfeel are pleasant surprises too, and this could be truly special at ~50% ABV.

Finish: The finish starts with honey, pineapple, fennel, and smoke with more lingering light smoke, mint, and green grape skins. After “chewing”, it leaves honey, green grape, starfruit, and a sweet smoke with lingering smoky starfruit, pineapple, and mint. Pleasant but mild.

MORE TIDBITS ABOUT SCOTCH WHISKY

  A FOLLOW UP TO FUN FACTS ABOUT WHISKY

For a comprehensive list of nearly 1500 Fun Facts, please click here.

Some 20 million casks, over 500 million cases, are maturing in warehouses in Scotland. This represents the equivalent of approximately 10 billion bottles of Scotch after bottling

Scotch is sold in more than 200 markets globally.    

Total amount of Scotch released for sale to the UK market was 90m bottles of 70 cl. each.

Scotch sells three times its nearest foreign whisky rival.

The industry generated about £3 billion in tax revenue to the UK government.

Scotch whisky accounts for a quarter of UK food and drink exports.

Export of Scotch whisky has increased by 87% in the past decade.

A closed bottle of Scotch can be kept for 100 years+ and will still be good to drink.

After opening, a half-full bottle of Scotch whisky will remain good for six to eight months.

The most expensive bottle of Scotch whisky today is Isabella’s Islay ($6.2 Million).

The oldest Scotch whisky on the market is the Aisla T’Orten 107 Years old, distilled in 1906 and available for $ 1.43 million (£870,000). Probably an April Fool's Day prank.

The highest price paid at an auction for a Scotch Whisky is £288,000 (for a 64-year-old 42.5 % Macallan malt whisky).

Glenfiddich is the largest selling single malt in the world, followed by the Glenlivet.

Johnnie Walker Red label is the world's largest selling Scotch whisky. 

Johnnie Walker Black label is the world's best-selling deluxe whisky.

The Famous Grouse is the most popular Scotch whisky in the UK.

Glenmorangie is the largest selling malt whisky in Scotland.

Aberfeldy is the most popular single malt Scotch whisky in the US.

Experts advise you to drink Single Malt whisky neat or with a tiny bit of water. The water supposedly ‘Releases the Serpent’ from the whisky.

If there is a serpent, there is also an Angel. As it ages, 2.0-2.5 % of the whisky maturing in a barrel is lost to evaporation every year. Distillers refer to this as the ‘angel’s share’.

But the Devil has the last word. The larger the barrel used to mature whisky, the more the spirit that is absorbed by the wood and lost, called by distillers the ‘Devil’s Cut’. The professional term for it is INDRINK.

The most expensive first world country in which to buy Scotch is New Zealand. In the EU, Austria and Switzerland are the most expensive.

Although their proof differs, standard drinks of beer, wine and spirits (liquor) contain an equivalent amount of alcohol – 0.6 ounces each. They’re all the same to a breathalyzer.

Glenturret is the oldest distillery in Scotland (1775), followed by Bowmore (1779). 

Glenturret, Oban and Glenlivet are the three oldest malt whiskies currently sold.

William Lawson’s blended Scotch, a relatively unknown brand, is a bestseller in Russia.

18,000 litres of Scotch whisky worth over $800,000 (£ 500,000) were accidentally flushed down the drain at the Dumbarton bottling plant of Chivas Brothers in March 2013. 

There are a total of 117 distilleries in Scotland, 110 malt and 7 grain or multipurpose, according to the research briefings and fact sheets presented to the UK Parliament.

In the UK, the six most popular Scotch blended Whiskies are The Famous Grouse, Bell’s, William Grant’s, Teacher’s, J&B and High Commissioner.

LVMH’s Glenmorangie distillery is one of the smallest in the Highlands and employs just sixteen craftsmen – ‘The Sixteen Men of Tain’ - who have become synonymous with the Glenmorangie brand all over the world.

Edradour was the smallest distillery in Scotland - Three people run the entire operation.

Strathearn distillery claims to hold that distinction. It is temporarily closed today.

Loch Ewe is the smallest distillery in size in Scotland.

Releases of Scotch whisky from bond for sale in the UK in the first half totaled 37.3 million bottles, down about 5.5% on the corresponding figure of 39.5 million in the opening six months of 2012. The SWA blamed the domestic excise duty regime, and called for UK Government help in this regard.

The fastest growing Scotch whisky in the world over the last five years was Black Dog.

The Australian Wine Research Institute has introduced a measure called a standard drink. In Australia, a standard drink contains 10 g (12.67 ml) of alcohol, the amount that an average adult male can metabolize in one hour.

Japanese owned Tomatin is the largest capacity distillery in Scotland.

Haig’s Pinch (Dimple) is the fourth largest blended Deluxe Scotch whisky in the world.

Persian  overlords were required to rule twice on a case; once when stone cold sober and again when intoxicated, in the belief of ‘in vino veritas’. 

UK Whisky Cheaper in Europe: The price of a bottle of whisky, including the Excise Duty, has been subject to Value Added Tax since 1973. The EU mandated size of the Scotch bottle is 70 cl or 700 ml, minimum 40 per cent ABV. In a single European market, Scotch actually costs less in Europe than in the UK. A 70cl of the average blended Scotch whisky might sell for £10.70 in the UK. Tax would take £7.07 or 66% of the retail price. In 10 out of 15 European countries, lower taxes mean that the same bottle is sold for less. Look at the list below:

Spain about £4.50 about 40%

Italy about £4.85 about 40%

Greece about £ 5.50 about 44%

Germany about £6.40 about 49%

France about £6.60 about 55%

Andorra about £ 3.75, about 35%

You Can Watch Whisky Production Processes Live: Bruichladdich, a distillery on the island of Islay, has webcams that allow you to see each of the whisky making processes as they happen. Go to www.bruichladdich.com/web_cam and watch whisky being produced live (if they are working).

Age Mentioned on a Blended Whisky Label: A blended whisky contains anywhere from 15 to 50 different malt whiskies. The skill of the blender is to create character and consistency in the product – and to choose only the whiskies that complement each other. The age of the blended Whisky mentioned on the bottle refers to the youngest whisky in the blend. If it says 10 years it means that the youngest Whisky has been matured for a minimum period of 10 years in oak casks. The same holds good for Single Malt Whiskies as well. 

Dewar’s Adds Honey to Scotch: Bacardi, in an attempt to woo the younger generation, unveiled a brand called Dewar’s Highlander Honey, which the company describes as a Scotch whisky “infused with Scottish heather honey filtered through oak cask wood.” The Scotch Whisky Association argues that this Dewar’s product is not Scotch whisky and that under EU law, it has to be sold under the sales description ‘Spirit Drink’. The label may refer to Scotch whisky as one of its constituents.

The first malt whisky ever to be exported to Australia was the Dalmore, in 1870. 

The Dalmore is the only distillery permitted to source Matusalem sherry wood casks for finishing its single malt at Gonzalez Byass.

Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop on Canongate, when owned by the Cadenhead family, was Scotland’s oldest independent bottler till taken over by J & A Mitchell & Co. Ltd. in 1972. The name remains unchanged, even though Mitchell & Co bottle and sell Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn Single Malt whiskies, along with Campbeltown Loch and Mitchell's 12 year old. Its unique selling point is that customers can have a bottle poured straight from a cask and labelled with a person’s name. When sealed it has a label with the ‘born on date’, as whisky stops aging as soon as it leaves the wooden barrel so each bottle is a unique blend.

The source of the name Auchentoshan is Gaelic. It means 'corner of the field'. 

Auchentoshan was probably started by Irish settlers, led by the MacBeathas.

Some sources claim that these Irish whisky distillers brought the Irish custom of triple distillation with them. Auchentoshan uses triple distillation.

Antique records from the year 1800 mention an (illegal) Duntocher distillery, which may have been a predecessor to the legal Auchentoshan distillery. A license for distillation was obtained in 1823.

The ‘e’ in whiskey: Scotch whisky is always spelled without an ‘e’? Most other nations such as United States and Ireland call their similar spirits Whiskey. Be sure you never add the ‘e’ when writing to a Scotsman. A very simple way to remember the spelling: if it comes from a country without an ‘e’ in its spelling, then its spelt Whisky. (e.g., Scotland, Japan, India, Canada, etc.).

Bruichladdich’s The Octomore 08.3 is “the most heavily peated Octomore to date”, containing barley peated to 309 ppm. Octomore 2009 Edition 06.3, peating level is 258 ppm. 

The Macallan claims that it has achieved success and fame through its ‘Six Pillars’, viz., Spiritual Home, Curiously Small Stills, Finest Cut, Exceptional Oak Casks, Natural Color and The Macallan itself.  It has released five expressions in honor of its pillars so far, starting in 2005; the 50, 55, 57, 60 and 62-year-old single malts in bespoke Lalique crystal. The 62^nd was released on December 17, 2013 at a price of US$ 26,000.

BLENDED MALT WHISKIES

AN EXCELLENT CHANGE: BLENDED MALTS

Blended malts are, as the name suggests, a combination of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies – unlike blends, there’s no grain whisky here. Instead, you have some of the most innovative Scotch whiskies around, from Islay-influenced smoke and seaweed to the typical Speyside character of rich, spiced fruit.

These whiskies are big business in Taiwan, which remains by far the world’s biggest blended malt market. There’s no limit to the number of single malts you can use in a blended malt: while Monkey Shoulder combines only three, Wemyss The Hive comprises no fewer than 16, many of them from Speyside. You might think you’re firmly rooted in Islay when tasting Peat Monster from Compass Box – but peated Speysider Ardmore is a crucial part of the mix. A very large percentage of these expressions are NAS.

Here is my order of priority. The Odyssey is far too expensive to buy and it's entirely up to you to decide. A bottle every now and then from the list below would be fine if you could lay your hands on them, bu then, many bottles listed are rather difficult to get, unless there is a well-stocked bar close by. Good luck.

-Islay Pillaged Malt 2003, with Single Malt whiskies from Ardbeg,  Bruichladdich, Bowmore,  Bunnahabhain, Caol  Ila, Lagavulin & Laphroaig  distilleries,  bottled at   Bruichladdich.
-Celtic Pillage 2005, a cask strength vatting of 12 YO Jura and Bushmills (Northern Ireland).
-Three Isles Classic Pillage, a 10 YO vatting of Ardbeg, Jura and Tobermory.
-Buchanan & Co's Strathconon 12-Year-Old.
-Chivas Regal Ultis NAS, with SMs from Allt a'Bhainne, Braeval, Longmorn,  Strathisla and  Tormore
-Johnnie Walker Island Green Label NAS
-Bowmore 12 YO Blended Malt Whisky
-Bell's 12 YO using SMs mainly from Blair Athol, Caol  Ila and Glenkinchie
-Clan Denny, both versions, Sweetly Spiced and Heavily Peated
-Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 YO
-Famous Grouse Vintage Malt Whisky 1987
-Wemyss Peat Chimney 46% ABV with Islay Malts
-Angel's Nectar Rich Peat Edition with Highland Malts, NAS 46% ABV
-Highland Journey NAS from Hunter Laing 46.2% ABV Highland Malts
-Poit Dhubh 12 YO Uisge Beatha Albannach. An 8 YO is also available
-J & B Exception 12 YO using Speyside Malts
-Big Peat 54.6% ABV NAS, an all Islay BM with whiskies from  Ardbeg,  Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen
-Shackleton's Discovery NAS 47.3% ABV
-Compass Box Spice Tree Extravaganza NAS
-Glenleven 12 Year Old
-William Grant Ghosted Reserve 26 YO 42% ABV
-Compass Box The Peat Monster NAS 46% ABV
-Monkey Shoulder NAS with SMs from Kininvie, Glenfiddich and Balvenie
-Berry Bros & Rudd's Blue Hanger 11th Release NAS 45.6%
-Smokey Joe Islay Blended Malt Whisky NAS 46% ABV
-Sheep Dip 8 YO with 16 SMs from Whyte & Mackay
-Copper Dog, NAS 40%, a combination of eight Speyside single malts
-Johnnie Walker Black Label Islay Origin, 12 YO, 42% ABV
-Naked Malt matured in first fill Sherry casks 

 

The MacKinlay Whisky's Journey on Shackleton's Expedition

From The Ice Below Shackleton's Hut To Skilled Recreation:
This Is A Story To Savour In The Telling

46 Cases of Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt

In June 1907, the Glen Mhor distillery in Inverness received an order from the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton for a total of 46 cases of Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt – one of the more indulgent items included among the provisions designed to sustain his British Antarctic Expedition of 1907.

The Discovery

In February 2007, after almost a century entombed in thick ice beneath Shackleton's expedition hut in Antarctica, three crates of this long lost whisky were discovered by a team from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust. The team was carrying out a full programme of conservation work on the aging expedition hut at Cape Royds when they made their stunning discovery.

However, in line with international protocols agreed by the Antarctic Treaty Nations, the crates could not be removed from Antarctica unless it was for conservation or scientific reasons. The Press Release of Friday 5 February '10 can be read using this link.

In early 2010, one crate of the whisky was removed from the ice by the Antarctic Heritage Trust and flown directly back to Canterbury Museum for careful thawing and stabilisation. Eventually, this crate was returned – and became one of over 14,000 expedition artefacts which the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust cares for across this frozen continent.

Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt

In Canterbury Museum, the temporarily liberated crate of Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt was slowly defrosted in a purpose-built cool room. Over a two-week period in mid-2010, while captured in the increasing glare of worldwide media interest, the temperature of the crate itself raised extremely slowly from around -20ºC to 0ºC.

The team of conservators were able to examine the contents and were eventually delighted to recover 11 bottles, 10 of which were perfectly intact, still wrapped in protective paper and straw. Intriguingly, however, one bottle was missing; a fact that appeared consistent with the evidence which suggested that the crate had been forced open once upon a time. With the whisky finally freed from the frozen crate, the museum conservators were able to complete their detailed analysis of the packaging, labels and bottles. However, the global spotlight was intensely focused on what these precious artefact bottles contain – a Highland malt whisky that was already well over 100 years old.

Indeed, never before in the history of whisky experts had access to a century old bottle of whisky that had been stored in a natural fridge well beyond human reach. So it was arguably only a slight exaggeration when this rare and valuable malt was described as ‘a gift from heaven for whisky lovers’ by Richard Paterson, Master Blender at Whyte & Mackay, the owners of the Mackinlay brand. And, with the bottles now ice-free, plans were made to undertake an analysis of the whisky so that it could be re-created in all its long-lost glory.  

The Return Journey

In January 2011 three bottles of the Mackinlay’s whisky finally began their return journey to the Highlands of Scotland. The bottles were deemed so rare that the Antarctic Heritage Trust refused to let them travel unaccompanied or in the hold of a plane. So they were personally collected by Whyte & Mackay company owner, Dr Vijay Mallya, and flown back to Scotland onboard his private jet.

Arriving home in Scotland, for the first time in more than 100 years, the whisky was transported to W&M’s Invergordon Spirit Laboratory for detailed scientific analysis. Richard Paterson, and his expert team led by Dr James Pryde, spent several weeks in the laboratory nosing, tasting and deconstructing the whisky to reveal its true heritage.

February 2011: Analysis

The analysis of the whisky first determines its strength at 47.3% alc./vol. The team described the whisky as light honey in colour, straw gold with shimmering highlights, and with an aroma that is soft, elegant and refined on the nose. Indeed, detailed nosing revealed delicate aromas of crushed apple, pear and fresh pineapple with notes of oak shavings, smoke and hints of buttery vanilla, creamy caramel and nutmeg. And, finally, the tasting revealed a spirit that has plenty of impact on the palate; a tantalising array of flavours that is both harmonious and exhilarating.

Analysis of the cask extractives indicated that the spirit was matured in American white oak sherry casks, while testing of the phenol content, which was lighter than expected for a whisky of this period, revealed that the peat used for the malting originated in the Orkney Islands.

Indeed, documentary evidence supports this, recording the supply of peat to both Glen Mhor and Glen Albyn distilleries in Inverness from the Isle of Eday in Orkney during the early 1900s. Final examination of each bottle delivered almost identical spirit profiles, suggesting that these far-travelled bottles may be representative of all whisky made at Glen Mhor.

The Original Report

In 2010, an expedition was launched to recover three cases of Mackinlay’s Rare Highland Malt Whisky, buried under the Antarctic ice covering Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1907 expedition base camp. Three bottles were returned to Scotland, showing incredible preservation for their time spent frozen in the tundra. The corks and seals were in incredible shape, with all three bottles showing the same level in the bottle and a 47.2 %ABV. These historical whiskies were subjected to a battery of human sensory trials and chemical analysis.

While the sensory trials detected a lightly peated whisky by the panel, the chemical analysis found a 3.5 ppm phenol content in the whisky. Going one step further and leveraging the geographical peat profile research, it was determined that the peat was very likely sourced from Orkney, confirming the historical records that the peat was sourced from the Isle of Eday. Science confirms that at a time where heavily smoky whiskies were the norm, Mackinlay’s was bucking the trend and producing a lighter peated style of whisky in the early 1900s and the chemical analysis could confirm the unique profile of the peat used in the malting process.”

Obviously these rare and preserved bottles will be virtually impossible to replicate today. Yeasts have mutated, barley has been refined, stills are now steam-powered compared to direct fired, fermentation is now tightly controlled, cut points are now accurately measured compared to the manual stillman’s senses, and other various factors but you get the point. And given the rarity of the recovered whiskies, we are left with a good story but an inability to verify if this new blend even comes close to the original.

Mackinlay’s Shackleton Journey Edition 2023

With the launch of the Shackleton Epic Expedition, and continued correspondence with Shackleton's grand-daughter Alexandra and the Antarctic Heritage Trust, Richard Paterson was inspired to create a second edition of the Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt - The JOURNEY.

The Epic Expedition will attempt to replicate Shackleton's "Double": his journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia, a distance of 800 miles over sea and ice. This will be done with the same kinds of equipment used in the 1916 expedition, including the Alexandra Shackleton, a replica of the 23ft open lifeboat used on the original voyage.

The Journey Edition of Mackinlay's takes the same base of single malts used to create the original Discovery Edition and, still inspired by the original recipe, builds on them to create a noticeably different dram - a more elegant and refined interpretation.

Review: Mackinlay’s Shackleton, Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, 2023, 40% ABV £25-35

Colour: Very pale, yellow gold.

Nose: Light honey, barley sugar, barley grist, hot grain dust, sawn oak, and a touch of green apple. It’s light and inoffensive and doesn’t have some of the annoying grain whisky prickle that can sometimes be found with other blended whiskies.

Palate: Runny honey, buttery biscuits, green and red apple medley and vanilla. The faintest whiff of smoke on the trailing half of the experience. A pop of citrusy lemon too. There is a dash of white pepper, which when combined with the citrus, comes across as a zestiness. There is a nice touch of sweet and sour interplay between the honey and lemon. Coming back to this whisky after a few others and some barely ripe bananas fleetingly pop up and then disappear. Interesting how our senses play little tricks like that on us. It does come across as somewhat young which is to be expected, but it is not overly jagged, a display of the quality of the malts heading into this blend and the blending prowess of the team. The mouthfeel is significantly better than most 40% ABV drams out there, with a lightly buttery or oily mouthfeel that exceeds the more watery mouthfeel of other entry single malts.

Finish: The finish is clean and short.

Overall: There isn’t much in the way of confirmation from various industry people that the new whisky, despite sharing a name, even somewhat resembles the original blend. They have obviously released the Shackleton at a lower ABV than the three bottles that were tested, missing the mark from a historical perspective. But despite the slight mishandling of the marketing and the whisky’s bottling strength, it’s still good and certainly worth buying at a deep discount.

Mackinlay’s Shackleton Rare Old Highland Malt - The Journey

MACKINLAY'S THE JOURNEY BOTTLING NOTE

The story behind Mackinlay's The Journey whisky is about the discovery of a cache of Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt whisky that was frozen under the Antarctic ice. Mackinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt was originally distilled at Glen Mhor distillery in Inverness, Scotland. It was a whisky much enjoyed throughout the late 19th century, and was personally selected by Ernest Shackleton to help sustain his British Antarctic Expedition of 1907.

Mackinlay’s has been bottled in numerous guises over the last two centuries, with blended Scotch, vatted malt and single malt all bottled under the brand. By the early 1880s the brand was the 11th best-selling Scotch in the UK, led by Mackinlay’s Legacy, which was bottled at 12, 17 and 21 years of age, and The Original Mackinlay. At the time, The Original contained ‘no less that 34% malt’, the majority of which was from Speyside. Although the name has changed to Mackinlay’s Original, the same recipe is still adhered to today by Whyte & Mackay’s master blender Richard Paterson.

That 2007 discovery of whisky left in Antarctica by Sir Ernest Shackleton during his famous expedition in the early 1900s led to Richard 'The Nose' Paterson using all his skill and experience to recreate this historic whisky in 2011, raising £250,000 for the Antarctic Heritage Trust in the process.

Approached by the charity and Alexandra Shackleton (Ernest's grand-daughter) in 2013 to produce a second edition of his blended malt to coincide with Tim Jarvis' Shackleton Epic (the first authentic re-enactment of Shackleton's extraordinary Antarctic survival journey of 1916), how could Paterson refuse?

Digging out another rare cask of Glen Mhor (an even older one, this time from 1980), as well as some heavily-peated Dalmore(!), he once again recreated the Shackleton whisky, also using malts from Glenfarclas, Mannochmore, Tamnavulin, Ben Nevis, Aultmore, Fettercairn, Pulteney and Jura.

The resulting masterpiece of blending offers something different, whilst clearly coming from the same lineage as his first lovingly recreated malt. A new and critically-acclaimed interpretation of a truly classic whisky.

Inspired by the 2013 recreation, Paterson once again recreated the Shackleton whisky in 2023.

PAUL JOHN'S SINGLE MALTS FROM GOA

World Class Single Malts From India

India produces two well-known Single Malt Whiskies that are in demand globally. They come from the Amrut and Paul John Distilleries and are so named. We were lucky to get the former at Rs. 1475/- (US$21.70) per 750 ml bottle, at 43% ABV or 75 proof. The latter is not as easy to obtain and costs a fair amount. There are numerous versions, all NAS (No Age Statement) and at much stronger ratings, like 55% ABV. That said, a few expressions are available at 46% ABV, but not as classy as the stronger versions.

Paul John Distilleries are based in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, South Goa, an area subject to very high day temperatures and intense humidity. This raises the Angels' share to as much as 10-12% and no barrel under maturation can withstand such high losses per year. Paul John whiskies are mostly in the 4-7 year range, with the odd 3 and 9-year old.

Paul John whiskies are made from only Indian ingredients. They use six-row barley, unlike Scotch whiskies that are made from two-row barley which has very high carbohydrate but low protein content. Six-row barley offers a distinct tannic character to the spirit. The alcohol yield is also much lower.

At Paul John, after grinding where the malted barley is mashed into coarse grist, the three-stage hot water wort creation process is replaced by a single hot water process (70° C). They use eight stainless steel washbacks that hold about 18,000 litres of wort each. They cannot use wooden washbacks as is done in Scottish distilleries because the high humidity and proximity to sea causes the wood to rot, requiring continuous maintenance. 

The only import is of two types of Scottish peat, used specifically for kilning (heating) and to increase the phenolic content of the spirit. One type comes from Aberdeen which has a marine and grassy character and the other is from Islay which has obvious high phenolic properties. The raw spirit is made using both these peats and blended according to the desired recipe. 

In India, Customs officers go by the final bottling rather than the spirit output at the distillation point. The spirit safe is thus kept unlocked. This helps the blender to gain a real feel of the cut he is going to make. The entire middle cut is done by actual organoleptic senses and by constant monitoring. Paul John extracts the middle cut at 63.5%. In Scottish distilleries, the human element has been gradually removed and the middle cut is made by computer diktats re timing and monitored by a spirit meter. 

Paul John produces malt whiskies matured only in imported American Oak barrels and stored in two warehouses, with a total capacity of 10,000 casks. Bottling is done in situ and the whiskies are not chill filtered.

Tasting Notes: Some Paul John Whiskies

Paul John, Edited, 46%, NAS– Gentle on the nose. You get barley sugars but with hints of orange marmalade and peat. The peat is not blatant, but gentle, suggesting that the malting was done with Aberdeen peat. After some time you get green capsicum, wet chalk and vanilla. On the palate, it is much rounder and peat reappears with sweet and honey flavours. Medium finish. 

Paul John, Classic, c.s 55.2%, NAS – On the nose you get those complexities immediately. Lots of sugars and tannins mistaking it to be a sherried whisky. Some lactones with a feel like asafoetida followed by a mix of citrus notes. On the palate it is dry and you get some tannins with a wholesome feeling of a full bodied whisky. Very sweet. Finishes long with a mix of spices.

Paul John, Bold, 46%, NAS – On the nose you get some smoke with definite peat notes. Vanilla and lemon, spices with green peppers. On the palate it is very sweet. Finishes with long peaty notes.

Paul John, Peated, c.s 55.5%, NAS – Bonfire smoke and peat. Sweet and honeyed and mild medicinal notes like any Islay whisky. Lots of complexities, green grass juices, vanilla and citrus notes. On the palate you get those dry tannins but the mouthfeel is very full and wholesome. Sweet and syrupy. Finishes very long with a satisfying feeling. 

Tasting Notes by Krishna Nukala