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The juicy flavors of cherry compote and plum preserves are studded with anise, rooibos tea and fruitcake notes. The...
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90
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750ml - Case of 6
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750ml - Case of 12
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Bright ruby-red. An exotic bouquet presents black raspberry, incense, Asian spices and blood orange. On the palate,...
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750ml - Case of 6
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750ml - Case of 12
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750ml - Case of 12
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Tightly coiled for now, with pepper, garrigue and briar notes wrapped around a core of steeped cherry, damson plum...
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92
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1.5Ltr - Case of 3
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Lively, with lots of spice and licorice notes bouncing around amid the raspberry, loganberry and blackberry fruit...
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91
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Red
750ml - Case of 12
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750ml - Case of 6
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I tasted this and I thought of the great Rayas from the late 1980s. Full body, bright fruit and a creamy texture. Its...
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750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $93.95
The 2011 Châteauneuf du Pape Omnia is a smoking blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre that was...
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Cinsault Japanese Whiskey Red Rhone Blend 2011

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.