Today we are pleased to announce the arrival of “Yamazakura Blended Malt Japanese Whisky Sherry Wood Reserve,” a new limited release from Sasanogawa Shuzo and Asaka Distillery.
The Sasanogawa Brewery is famous for its “Cherry Whiskey,” which played a part in the local whiskey boom of the 1975-1985 period, known as “Cherry in the North, East Asia in the East, and Mars in the West.
In 2004, Ichiro Akuto, who was president of Toa Shuzo at the time, asked Sasanogawa Brewery to take custody of the whisky stored at the Hanyu distillery due to Toa Shuzo’s poor business performance.This would later be marketed as “Ichiro’s Malt.
The relationship seems to have continued to the present day, and several barrels of the original Chichibu distilled at the Chichibu distillery are still being matured at the Sasanogawa Brewery.
Blended malt from Asaka distillery and other distilleries in Japan
A blend of carefully selected domestic sake that has been stored and matured at the Sasanogawa Brewery and the Azumi Distillery.
This blended malt Japanese whiskey was further aged in sherry cask for about 18 months.
The weight and beautiful sherry-derived sweetness are well balanced with a long finish. The solid sense of maturity is well matched with the additional sherry. The spiciness comes to the fore rather than the sweetness, so if I had to say something, I would say that the sherry is a little subdued. The lactic acid fermentation type richness is also present, so I have the impression that it will improve with time after the bottle is opened.
Tasting Notes
| Flavor | Strawberry jam, savory cookies, sweet aroma of bananas |
| Taste | Grape astringent, spicy, woody and full-bodied |
| Aftertaste | Black tea, tannic astringency giving way to a sweet but spicy cinnamon-like finish |
Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 50% |
| Liquor categories | Blended Malt Japanese Whisky |
| Cask type | Bourbon cask、Sherry casks, etc. |
| Volume and quantity | 700ml |
| No. of products sold | Limited to 440 bottles |
| Date of release | Nov. 9, 2021 |
| BAR Shinkai Offer price | one glass costs 45ml: 8,910yen, 30ml: 5,940yen, 15ml: 2,970yen |
BAR Shinkai offers this service at Toranomon, as well as at all Azabujuban and Daimon. If you are interested, please give it a try.
For more information on 「Yamazakura Blended Malt Japanese Whisky Sherry Wood Reserve」see this article.
Yamazakura Blended Malt Japanese Whisky Sherry Wood Reserve Asaka (jpwhisky.net)]
For a full list of BARShinkai’s whisky menu, click here.
