Round 8
Date: 2/10/2017
Bottles:
Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Chichibu
The Yamazaki 18
We completely broke the mold on this round: not only were both of these bottles not scotch (since scotch has to be made in Scotland), but one of them was a blended whisky. So we have sinned, to atone we’ll drink the whole bottle.
The reasoning behind the buy this round was to explore the bookends of Japanese whisky. One was an old single-malt, established brand, practically guaranteed to be delicious. The other was unknown to us, relatively cheaper, and a more experimental bottle.
Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Chichibu
Once again, the cheaper bottle turned out to be the crowd favorite. Chichibu is young and has a punch, but has a distinctly divided flavor. It starts out tasting like Jim Beam, and finishes with pears and sweet fruit. Highly recommended if you like complex whiskies and want to try something Japanese.
What it feels like:
“You went to a good college.” - @cyle
“Meeting a good friend at a dive.” - @sreegs
The Yamazaki 18
There’s nothing wrong with Japanese single malt whisky. You are guaranteed to be happy with whatever you purchase. Yamazaki 18 is an example of a perfect whisky. It’s oaky and smooth as hell. It leaves your tongue quickly and leaves behind no lingering taste. It’s approachable and easy, and that’s the problem. Because it’s so perfect, there’s nothing interesting about it. It’s a fantastic whisky, and that’s about it.
What it feels like:
“Relaxation without barriers” - Nobu
“Observing a constant in the universe.” - @cyle
“Expecting an epiphany that never comes.” - @danoh
