Nikka Yoichi 10 Year Genshu "New Cask" #407481

sample from a friend

Nose: Immediately on rich apple, vanilla, caramel. Light malt in the recess. Sweet cinnamon and other baking spices. In the deep background in orange zest and pith. There is even a kiss of sandalwood, dry and aromatic, almost incense. Something of baked pie crust with salt, butter, and cheese(!) for good measure. (with water) Far more obviously sweet on caster sugar. The incense, spice, wood, and spicebox (sweet) quality quality comes more to the forefront. Fab stuff.

Palate: Big, malty, and excellent. Sap-like and oily. Ah, these are always fun, aren't they? More of the spices, bags of it, with sweet cinnamon, incense, fine woods - not at all tannic. There is a fruit and jammy quality, date paste with a crushed fig mixed in. A hair of orange zest as well. Hint of salt and smoke (maybe just the bitterness from the pith). Ginger. Just packed with flavor. Let's try it with water and see how it swims. (with water) Hm, H20 undoes some of the balance and draws out the ginger root, though the aromas do become a smidge more distinct.

Finish: A gentle, soft, and delightful spice box. Orange emerges, perhaps from the oak, as does an almost funky note, which comes on strong, and still all class. The nose is delightful, and the mouth is excellent in drops, even if it doesn't swim quite as well. Delicious. All the spice and cinnamon almost reminds me of the very best of ryes.

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