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700ml
Bottle:
$78.66
$82.80
Kurayoshi Distillery lies between Osaka and Hiroshima in the foothills of Mount Daisen, where it produces single malt...
700ml
Bottle:
$78.66
$82.80
This whisky has an elegant nose, with faint whispers of baked apple, buttercream, and dried lemon peel. The palate is...
750ml
Bottle:
$69.23
Ambrosial notes of sprouted grain, honey, bacon fat and orange blossom accompany deeper notes of toasted hazelnut....
750ml
Bottle:
$74.79
$78.73
This unique expression was developed in 2013 as a result of Nikka's continuous experiments to widen the variety and...
750ml
Bottle:
$46.46
$48.91
An accomplished blend packed with appealing flavors from Miyagikyo and Yoichi Distilleries. Honey, baked lemon,...
750ml
Bottle:
$79.94
$89.94
Number 1 in the 2018 Top 20. Notably balanced and elegant, the colorful palette of whiskies combines for tremendous...
750ml
Bottle:
$88.06
$92.70
A smoky nose rises from the glass, but immediately finds harmony with spicy and bold flavors on the palate. Gorgeous...
750ml
Bottle:
$110.91
$116.75
This is a single malt from the Yoichi distillery, Nikka’s first distillery built in 1934. The founder Masataka...
750ml
Bottle:
$41.80
$44.00
12 bottles:
$35.63
The taste of sandalwood is present, a precious ingredient in Oriental incense used for aromatherapy, meditation, and...
750ml
Bottle:
$49.30
$51.90
6 bottles:
$46.02
This skillfully aromatic whisky smells softly herby, floral, and nutty. On the palate, it’s smoky with some...
750ml
Bottle:
$65.55
$69.00
6 bottles:
$63.17
The combination of mature single malts from Lowlands, Scotland and Niigata, Japan that have been double distilled in...
750ml
Bottle:
$155.13
$163.30
An intriguing nose combines exotic aromas of ripe banana, mango flesh, dried papaya, and key lime with indulgent oak...
750ml
Bottle:
$659.14
$693.83
Sourced from Kumesen Distillery, this was distilled, matured in bourbon casks, and bottled in Okinawa. Sweet exotic...
750ml
Bottle:
$191.13
$201.19
Double distillation in stainless steel produces a higher filling strength than single distillation, which may account...
Ice Wine Japanese Whiskey Mavrodaphne Mencia
Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.
The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.
Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.
While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.
In the Archaea region, high in the Northern Peloponnese mountains, the predominant grape varietal grown is the prized Mavrodaphne. Meaning 'Black Laurel', the Mavrodaphne grapes have extremely dark skins, and ripen slowly under the Greek sunshine, helped by the mineral rich soils the vines thrive in. This grape varietal is mostly used to produce the opaque, inky fortified wine of the same name, which is popular all over Greece and elsewhere in the world. This fortified wine allows the grapes to really show off their complex and fascinating flavors, which range from a rich marzipan to flavors of bitter chocolate, sweet coffee, dried figs and prunes, as well as plenty of jammy fruit notes.
Mavrodaphne is produced in a traditional method which involves leaving the grape juice exposed to the sun in large vats, before having its fermentation halted by the addition of various distillates taken from previous successful vintages. This mixture contains plenty of residual sugar, which gives the end result its characteristic sticky sweetness, and also helps with the next fermentation process, which typically takes place in large underground cellars. The final product is a heady drink, absolutely bursting with unusual, rich and sweet flavors and carried in a dark and slightly viscous Port-like liquid.
Mavrodaphne grapes are also used for the production of still red wines, but are generally blended with varietals such as Agiorgitiko or imported grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon. Mavrodaphne grapes are excellent for mellowing more acidic varieties, and producing deliciously rounded wines, which have taken the international market by storm in recent decades.
Additional Information on Greek Wines
Greek Wines
Ancient Greek Wines – A Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Myth of Dionysus, Greek God of Wine
What is Retsina?