Togouchi 12 Year Old Japanese Blended Whisky

The Togouchi 12 Year Old is a Japanese blend that consists of 40% Scottish single malt and 60% Canadian grain. The casks were, after importing, naturalised - so to speak - and put to sleep in a long and unused train tunnel. The components only matured in Japan, but were not distilled there. This is apple juice on steroids. Next to that, I also get loads of lemony notes and a mildly floral element. Not bad and a typical aperitif style whisky on the nose, but all together very docile and easy. It has a bit of a weird green note as if from flowers that have wilted in the vase for too long. The mouth feel is okay, but it could have done with a bit more. The fruit now clearly bows before the grain. Lots of oak. Again some herbal elements, that I find to clash with the sweetness. The finish is longer than expected, honeysweet on caramel and citrus with a small bitterness at the death. This is just a tad better than the NAS-version - at least this one does not stink - but it is a far cry from a grand whisky.