Asaka Aoi Edition Single Cask: A Japanese Single Malt Whisky Worth Looking At

Credits: Article and images by Ken Gargett @ Quill & Pad. See the original article here - https://quillandpad.com/2023/10/22/asaka-aoi-edition-single-cask-a-japanese-single-malt-whisky-worth-looking-at-reprise/

————————————————————————————

Scottish Watches Podcast #521: Convincing Aldis Hodge to Make the Horological Documentary ‘Making Time’ and Much More with Ian Skellern

Bell & Ross debuts an ice blue skull in full sapphire crystal

As it happens, there have been recent changes to labeling for Japanese whisky via the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association. The definition of “Japanese Whisky (Whiskey),” after four years of debate, will be a voluntary standard.

The revised standards now have the specified term “Japanese Whisky” (or “Japanese Whiskey”) only able to be used when such whisky satisfies the following production method quality requirements.

Raw ingredients must be limited to malted grains, other cereal grains, and water extracted in Japan.
Malted grains must always be used.
Saccharification, fermentation, and distillation must be carried out at a distillery in Japan.
Alcohol content at the time of distillation must be less than 95 percent.
The distilled product must be poured into wooden casks not exceeding a capacity of 700 liters and matured in Japan for a period of at least three years thereafter.
Bottling must take place only in Japan, with alcoholic strength of at least 40 percent at the time of bottling.
Plain caramel coloring can be used.

The new standards are applied from April 1, 2021 (not an April Fool’s Day joke).

In 2015, Sasanokawa Shuzo set about restoring the site that would now become the Asaka Distillery as it was keen to produce its own single malt whiskies.

A year later, the distillery was finished and the process began. Expect to see many more excellent whiskies from this distillery in the coming years.

Asaka Aoi Edition Single Cask Japanese whisky

And how does Asaka Aoi Edition Single Cask taste?

For a cask strength whisky, it is amazingly subtle and refined. The color is quite pale. There are notes of ginger and nuts, a hint of teak. The underlying power soon becomes apparent and there is excellent length here. Citrus and pears, spices. Tobacco leaf notes – one suspects that this would go very well with a fine cigar. Bergamot and raspberries.

Every sip exhibits more, and this is one of those rare whiskies that sneaks up on you – far more here than any brief initial glimpse could ever reveal. The ginger and citrus hang around, and the finish has a touch of honey. The citrus morphs into a lovely glacé lemon crystalline character.

This is a very fine whisky and definitely worth a look. Whether it represents value is always down to the individual.

For more information, please visit www.dekanta.com.

* This article was first published 14 September 2021 at Asaka Aoi Edition Single Cask: A Japanese Single Malt Whisky Worth Looking At