Togouchi 12 Year Old Blended Japanese Whisky (700ml)

Togouchi seem to be making a name for themselves as top-notch blenders and bottlers, with this release following on from the highly successful 18 year old, both marketed by Les Whiskies du Monde. The company has been distributing whiskies from smaller Japanese producers (Akashi/Eigashima and Isawa, among others) for several years now.

This is a blend of malt and grain whisky, though the exact provenance of the whiskies is not disclosed. We only know that the malt is sourced from Scotland and the grain from Canada. As has been mentioned before, the whiskies are married in Japan and matured in Togouchi's famous disused railway tunnel which stays at a constant 15 degrees. This latest effort received a very warm review from the Japanese whisky website, www.nonjatta.com.

Other reviews... This has got a nose to die for. That’s how seductive it is… green apples drizzled with lemon juice, oroblanco (green grapefruit), lime zest, buffalo mozzarella cannoli, a whisp of smoke and a tiny hint of peat. And in the background, you’ve got those lovely, tiny vegetable notes again (boiled vegetables) and some crema catalana. The palate delivers more of the same: orchard fruits (green apples, most prominently), citrus accents (lemon meringue pie, candied lemon peel) and baked goods but there are some little surprises, too: marzipan, all-spice and delicate herbal notes. The finish is medium-long with a light, lingering sweetness (coconut scones).
- www.nonjatta.com