Tokiwa ‘Honkaku Shochu’ 72cl 25%
Tasted: June 2008
It has a slight straw colour to it, which would indicate some wood maturation. The nose is quiet perfumed, light and a touch spirity witharomas of green tea, white flowers and hints of orange fruit. It has a grainy or starch undertone, which is not unpleasant and a late pure, earthy note.
On the palate it is again delicate and perfumed with light green tea flavours, apple, white flowers, maybe rose water(?). The perfume builds considerably on the middle and finishes nice and cleanly with a touch of botanicals.
Being for all intense and purposes a vatting of various aged spirits it has what I would consider a controlled rawness to it, in that to me it had a discernable new make character which was obviously tempered by the aged proportion. It’s not unpleasant to drink on its own however like Marc and Grappa one glass is definitely enough for me!
Whisky According to Chris Whiskyman 