Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Yuza.
Bottler: SMWS.
Region: Japan Single Malt.
ABV: 61.2%.
Age: 3 Years. Distilled on 21 February 2019.
Cask type: First Fill Bourbon Barrel.
Nose: Dried plums and citrus peel, hints of cream and lime transitioned toward guava chiffon cake, green apple, more wood resins and pepper with time.
Palate: Medium-bodied with salted plums, guava jam, metal polish, and hints of bubble gum; more ginger spice and pickled ginger toward the end with cracked black pepper.
Finish: Medium-length with ginger, a touch of cream, and woody stone fruit pits.
Mental Image: After School Snacks.
Conclusion: For something so young, this was remarkably well-composed. It featured a lovely evolution from fruits to woody spices with clear transitions between the elements. I remain excited by the whiskies coming out of Yuza, though I will wait to see a bit older product before I start picking up bottles— I want to see how some of these flavors evolve or shift with time. There were hints of bubble gum on this, a note I rather dislike on whisky, but I could not decide whether that was a product of the cask or just the fruity nature of the malt. Overall, tasty fare— though as the first cask from SMWS and a Japanese whisky, the price for it has predictably only gone up.
Final Score: 83.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 