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Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $47.43 $51.00
12 bottles: $43.32
This carmine dram has a soft, mellow nose of raisin, earthy red wine notes, wet slate, prune flesh, stewed rhubarb,...
12 FREE
WKY
88
Sale
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $38.76 $40.80
12 bottles: $36.48
Blending only the best malt and grains, combined with the fresh spring water from the streams of Mount Daisen...
Sale
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $126.54 $133.20
Honey-tinged and citrus-laden nose with subtle suggestions of yellow apple skin, cherry compote, and maple. Fresh...
12 FREE
UBC
91
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $249.94 $349.94
Showing an attractive straw-gold color, this mature whisky has bright flavors of baked cereal grains, toasted vanilla...
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UBC
92
Sale
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $99.18 $104.40
A very soft and alluring nose reveals an elegant whisky that has myriad flavors of gingerbread, pound cake, malt...
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UBC
91
Sale
Spirits
700ml
Bottle: $78.66 $82.80
Kurayoshi Distillery lies between Osaka and Hiroshima in the foothills of Mount Daisen, where it produces single malt...
12 FREE
WKY
92
UBC
90
Sale
Spirits
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...
12 FREE
UBC
97
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $69.23
Ambrosial notes of sprouted grain, honey, bacon fat and orange blossom accompany deeper notes of toasted hazelnut....
12 FREE
UBC
93
WKY
92
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
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...
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Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $46.46 $48.91
An accomplished blend packed with appealing flavors from Miyagikyo and Yoichi Distilleries. Honey, baked lemon,...
12 FREE
WKY
89
Sale
Spirits
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...
12 FREE
UBC
95
WKY
95
Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
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...
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Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $68.02 $71.60
6 bottles: $68.00
12 FREE
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $71.82
Light and delicate on the pallet, with soft notes of honey and an oaky depth.
12 FREE
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $88.00
12 FREE
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $83.60
12 FREE
Sale
Spirits
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...
Sale
Spirits
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...
12 FREE
UBC
90
Sale
Spirits
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...
12 FREE
WKY
90
Sale
Spirits
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...
12 FREE
UBC
94

Ice Wine Japanese Whiskey Robola Tocai Friulano

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 mountains of Cephalonia, the mineral rich soils assist in the growing of one of the finest of Greece's white grape varietals – the Robola grape. These noble yellowish grapes are notable for the wines they produce, which generally contain summer fruits, peach and citrus aromas, coupled with flavors which extend beyond the usual range of white wines, revealing smoky and mineral notes, and a lengthy, lemony after-taste. These fine characteristics helped the regions it is grown in gain AOC status, and wine-makers in this area have many generations of practice in bringing out the elegant and subtle characteristics of this grape.

Robola, and the other wines of Cephalonia have a long and illustrious history, being mentioned even in ancient epic poems such as Homer's Iliad. However, it was the Venetians who first recognized the great potential of Robola grapes, which quickly became the focus for the areas wine-makers and tradesmen. Nowadays, Robola wines act as an excellent example of a refined Greek dry white wine, which can be either drank as a light and refreshing summer aperitif, or alongside grilled white meats, salads, or white fish. Robola wines, as a rule, do not age particularly well, and it is highly recommended that bottles are drunk young, within two years of bottling. By doing so, you can enjoy the unique characteristics of this remarkable wine, complete with the balanced combination of chalky, smoky citrus flavors and delicate peach aromas which typify the finest examples of Robola varietal wines.

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?

The Tocai Fruiliano grape varietal has been grown in and around the northern regions of Italy for centuries, and is still widely praised for its distinctive character and beautiful set of flavors and aromas. Despite the name, the Tocai Fruiliano varietal is not actually related to the famous Tokaji grapes of Hungary, or the Tokay d'Alsace grapes, but is actually the same species as Sauvignon Vert. Wines made from the Tocai Fruiliano grape are generally a pale straw yellow in color, and are recognizable by their aroma of wild flowers and orchard fruits such as pears. The flavor of the wines varies from vineyard to vineyard, and the Tocai Fruiliano grape is renowned for having a broad set of flavors, although citrus notes are usually detectable in most bottles.