INTRODUCTION
Join with me for the next twenty-four days as we countdown to Christmas with the Drinks by the Dram Japanese Whisky Advent Calendar. Each day will present a new whisky adventure ranging from Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky to hopefully the Hibiki 21 Year Old. Check back every day for a brief review of each whisky tasted. I plan to give a quick overview of the nose, taste, finish, and general cost range, if I can find it, of the dram with an overall A, B, C type score. Since each sample is only an ounce, the letter grade system allows for a more generalized overview of the whisky.
The scoring scale: A+= 95 and higher, A= 94-93, A-= 92-90, B+= 89-87, B= 86-83, B-= 82-80, C+= 79-77, C= 76-73, and hopefully there will not be any whiskies at these levels, but just in case C-= 72-70, D= 69-60, F= 59 and lower
THE JAPANESE WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR DAILY DRAM
DEC 1: Nikka Coffey Malt ABV: 45%. Cost: $65-$80 Score: lower B+
Nose: very pleasant nose, rich honey sweetness, spun sugar, tropical fruits, lush
Taste: touch of oak present at first, nice light tropical fruits remain, a toffee sweetness, some slight wood char and a dark chocolate coffee-esque end of palate
Finish: not as sweet as I remember the grain version, slight touch of bitterness at the end, the finish reduces the score slightly for me
Overall: nice dram (as is the Coffey Grain variant), I like it (picked up a bottle)
DEC 2 – Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 43% Cost = $60-$75 Score: high B
Nose: honey maltiness, caramel green apple, touch of spice – nice
Taste: toffee caramel spice, good mouthfeel, slight pepper oak char, apple skins, and slight coffee note at the end
Finish: medium finish on this blended malt from Nikka’s distilleries at Yoichi and Miyagikyo; nicely balanced
Overall: a solid dram – I already have an unopened bottle on the shelf and this sample does not make me disappointed in that decision
DEC 3 – The Kurayoshi Pure Malt 43% Cost = $60-$80 Score: lower B
Nose: sweet candy, vanilla, syrupy butter rum lifesavers
Taste: different – a thick mouthfeel initially with the sweetness continuing, a dark sugar toffee note with raisins
Finish: medium in length with some initial spice
Overall: not a lot of information on this dram from the Matsui Shuzo Distillery; would have to visit with this one again in a bar maybe, before ever considering a purchase
DEC 4 – Hibiki Japanese Harmony 43% Cost = $70-$85 Score: solid B
Nose: floral, perfume, spun sugar sweetness, ripe plum, juicy fruit gum, and apricot
Taste: tingly orange spice with a lingering charred toffee note, an oak wood resin element
Finish: good medium length with a touch of astringency and some dark chocolate
Overall: this NAS replaced the Hibiki 12-Year Old, which I liked better
DEC 5 – Nikka All Malt 40% Cost = $35-$45 Score: B-
Nose: dark caramel sugars, ripe fruit – some banana, vanilla
Taste: touch of spice and toffee sweetness, red apple skins, some oak, leather – less sweetness than expected from the nose
Finish: shorter finish, wood tannins
Overall: an entry level Japanese whisky that is a blend of Coffey still grain whiskey and pot still malted barley made at Nikka’s two major distilleries; I have not seen this on the shelf in any store in the U.S. so far – for the price not too bad, but would not be at the top of my list
DEC 6 – Hibiki 17 Year Old 43% Cost = rare, difficult to price in U.S. $185+ Score: low A
Nose: rich honey malt, toffee brown sugar, floral honeysuckle note, plum, vanilla – really nice over
Taste: elements from the nose continue on the palate, touch of toffee, coconut, vanilla cream, and slight spice
Finish: mouthcoating, lingering finish – well balanced, excellent dram
Overall: a really nice blended whiskey, wish this were more readily available in the U.S.
DEC 7 – Nikka Pure Malt Black 43% Cost = not in US ($55-$75 w/o shipping from overseas) Score: A-
Nose: some darker rich sweet notes, a mustiness, caramel, touch of smoke, a fruitiness – apple, raisin – really like what I get here
Taste: a smoked dark caramel with a touch of ginger and wood spice, baking spices, dark chocolate – want to spend more time with this whisky
Finish: excellent mouth coating, no off-putting notes in any way, lengthy finish
Overall: a NAS blended Nikka malt, really nice dram that pleasantly surprised me; really nice, wish it were available in the U.S. – I’d buy (actually I’m going to look to buy via other outside of the U.S. distributors)
DEC 8 – Mars Maltage “Cosmo” 43% Cost = $65-$85 without shipping Score: C+
Nose: rich honey malt notes, toffee with some citrus underneath, raisins, pear, and nuts
Taste: charred caramel toffee, not overly sweet, ginger spice with some pepper, a little astringent oak at the end
Finish: medium – not the best part of this dram, the wood tannins drown out some of the other notes, bitter chocolate peeks through
Overall: a blend of Japanese and Scottish malt whiskies – no percentages given; founded in 1985 the Mars Shinshu distillery claims the title of highest distillery in Japan at just over 2,600 feet; not one I’d seek out
DEC 9 – Kamiki 48% Cost = $75-$90 Score: D+
Nose: spice, wood – cedar, a solvent note; really different – unusual, touch of green apple tartness, sawdust, then balsa wood (imagining I’m a kid with a glider plane), white pepper
Taste: tastes like my mom’s cedar chest smells, if it were a liquid – I know, weird; lingering woody peppery note which hides the other sweeter notes that try to push through
Finish: medium-long, which is not a good thing; I like new and different whiskies – this is not one of them
Overall: a blend of Japanese malt and “the finest” malt whiskies from the rest of the world (no other details given); the first whisky in the world finished in Yoshino Sugi (Japanese Cedar) casks; too much of the finishing wood note for me, must be an acquired taste – I’m just not there and I’ve had over 300 different whiskies this year – disappointing
DEC 10 – Nikka Coffey Grain 45% Cost = $60-$70 Score: low B+
Nose: super sweet on the nose – cotton candy spun sugar, caramel, vanilla – very bourbon-esque sweet notes overall (but sweeter)
Taste: caramel vanilla cream, a slight coconut peeks through, some nut elements– not overly complex, a syrupy sweetness gives way to a touch of oak char spice at the end
Finish: pleasant – short to medium, due to the high corn content this is sweeter and more like a bourbon in some respects than your typical Japanese whisky
Overall: a nice dram, I’d have a bottle on hand as one of those unique bridge whiskies – to share with those that only like one style, maybe bourbons and/or Irish whiskies – good to use to introduce people to some other styles of whisky
DEC 11 – Akashi White Oak Blended Whisky 40% Cost = $40-$50 Score: C
Nose: apple juice, slight spice – with some cinnamon, honey, tropical fruits, has a freshness – after finishing the tasting, the nose is the best about it
Taste: thin on the mouthfeel, apple skins are at the fore, a tartness with some dark caramel sugars and pepperiness – not horrible but not a must have either
Finish: shorter finish with a touch of oak and caramel at the end
Overall: an entry level Japanese whisky – not overly expensive, something a bit different without breaking the bank, but not all that noteworthy either
DEC 12 – Kirin Fuji-Sanroku Blended Whisky 50% Cost = wide range ~ $90-$135 Score: B
Nose: classic malt notes, touch of smoke, earthiness, spice, apple, cinnamon, maybe some cherries and nougat
Taste: spice to the fore – almost like an American rye, nice mouthfeel, dark sugars – toffee with oakiness at the end, apple skins, some dark chocolate, coffee, a touch astringent
Finish: medium, mouth coating with some drying
Overall: a blended whisky from Kirin’s Fuji Gotemba Distillery, located in the foothills of Mt. Fuji; solid dram with some character here
DEC 13 – The Kurayoshi Sherry Cask Blended Malt 43% Cost = $75-$95 Score: C
Nose: sherry notes, raisins, caramel sugar, touch of cranberry tartness, a cider quality on the nose
Taste: a woodiness on the palate, tingling spice, a bit bitter – difficult for the fruit to push forward, some chocolate, and a touch of sourness – as on the nose
Finish: medium at best with lingering spice – ginger
Overall: a bit disconnected between the nose and the palate, not very memorable; nose is the best element – uneven otherwise (and I typically like sherry finishes)
DEC 14 – Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve Single Malt 43% Cost = $60-$70 Score: B+
Nose: a freshness on the nose that is appealing, some malt notes, spearmint, walking in a garden, pear, 
grassiness, a tartness – like a not completely ripe plum
Taste: nice mouthfeel, some honey toffee sweetness with a touch of spice, some smoke – decently balanced on the palate with a citrusy note
Finish: nicely done, medium-long finish – would like to spend more time with this one, I’d pick up a bottle because it is pleasant and at the same time a bit different and unique
Overall: from the Hakushu Distillery at the foothills of Mount Kaikomagatake; would like to see this on the shelf in the U.S. more often for the price
DEC 15 – Nikka Blended Whisky 40% Cost = $35-45 Score: C/C+
Nose: some dark sugar sweetness, caramel, vanilla, green fruit – apple, and touch of orange
Taste: light on the palate – maybe due to lower ABV, slight touch of spice at the end, some honey and vanilla notes
Finish: short, not much more to add
Overall: nose is sweeter than the palate; nothing really jumps out either prominently or negatively in this whisky – an average dram
DEC 16 – Kaiyo Cask Strength Mizunara Oak 53% Cost = $95-$115 Score: B
Nose: rich nose, caramel, honey, apricot, some fleshy fruits, tart cherry – overall nice
Taste: thick viscous mouthfeel, citrus, honey, charred caramel, touch of wood – some baking spice and dark chocolate at the end
Finish: lengthy medium finish with a decent aftertaste
Overall: a unique casking – Mizunara oak (supposedly significantly more expensive than other casks) – that after maturing the casks go to out to sea for a 3-month long journey for a unique finishing touch; do not know if I’d pay $100 for it – but a worthy dram to try at a bar to sit if it fits your taste profile
DEC 17 – The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve Single Malt 43% Cost = ~$65-$75 Score: B
Nose: malty goodness, honey, pear, green apple, strawberry – nicely done
Taste: honey with slight ginger spice, red apple skins, touch of tingling on the palate with some wood char and red fruits
Finish: short-medium with some drying at the end
Overall: some Mizunara oak used in this bottling, plus reportedly uses Bordaeux wine casks and sherry casks; a solid effort but personally, and I may be in the minority, I prefer the Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve over this Suntory release
DEC 18 – Nikka Taketsuru 21-Year Old 43% Cost = $300-$500* Score: A-/B+
Nose: a touch musty at the start – wet oak wood, lavender, honey, graham cracker, peach, many layers here with
great depth – would love to spend more time with it
Taste: very pleasant when it hits the palate with some smokiness, syrupy – ginger – honey – maltiness – with a wood underlying it all, mouth coating goodness, some chocolate with touches of tobacco and leather
Finish: lengthy, drying spice
Overall: *very difficult to track down, and if you can the prices usually vary greatly; crazily expensive – the most expensive yet tasted in this series – does not take the top spot at this point, but a dram that I could spend a lot of time with (on someone else’s dime)
DEC 19 – Nikka Pure Malt Red 43% Cost = $50-$65 Score: B/B-
Nose: a malty sweetness, honey, apple, a crispness to the nose, slight dustiness from the oak
Taste: fruit notes, a grassiness, some caramel sweetness with ginger spice – touch of oak
Finish: short to medium (at best), finishes with a toasted toffee and spice element
Overall: a blend of malts from Nikka distilleries of Yoichi and Miyagikyo; I prefer the Nikka Pure Malt Black to the Red version
DEC 20 – Yamazakura Blended Whisky 40% Cost = $55-$65* Score: C/C-
Nose: a touch of sour, almost metallic, then sweet, pear, floral – honeysuckle, fresh lin
Taste: thin on the palate, pepper spice, apple skins, maybe a slight white grape sweetness, alcohol note evident
Finish: medium, touch of wood char, some bitterness, seems youthful, not the best aftertaste
Overall: *very difficult to track down – pricing from overseas sites; would not seek this one out, a mixer if you want to spend that much on a mixer
DEC 21 – Kura The Whisky Pure Malt 40% Cost = $65-$75 Score: B-
Nose: bolder nose, a bit of honey caramel sweetness, rum influence shows on the nose, a touch of tartness – maybe cranberry at the end of the nosing
Taste: balanced toffee, nice spice with some smoke, vanilla creaminess, full mouthfeel, taste belies the ABV on this one, touch of bitterness at end of palate
Finish: decent finish – medium, spice emerges and lingers
Overall: from the Helios Distillery in Okinawa, Japan – finished in Japanese rum casks; mixed bag here, not much details available on this whisky
DEC 22 – The Nikka 12-Year Old 43% Cost = $105-$120* Score: high B
Nose: sweet pleasant nose, spun sugar, caramel, plum, luscious – really nice, touch of spice
Taste: initial spice, apple – apple skins, toasted toffee, cinnamon, baking spice, dark chocolate – coffee, less sweet than the nose
Finish: nice lengthy finish, solid dram
Overall: *prices from Europe (US cost); a blended whisky from Nikka (seems to be a LOT of those in Japan these days); would revisit if could find for a good price
DEC 23 – Nikka From the Barrel 51.4% Cost = $65-$85 Score: A-/B+
Nose: caramel apple, dark sugar, toffee, touch of spice, balanced nose with some vanilla and pear underneath
Taste: apple skin – dark caramel – spice, dark chocolate, banana, and maybe an almond note
Finish: medium-long; nice dram – touch of oak spiciness at the end
Overall: Whisky Advocate’s #1 whisky of 2018 – reportedly a blend of over a 100 different batches of malt whisky and grain whisky produced at Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries, and aged in multiple types of ex-Bourbon barrels, puncheons, sherry butts, refilled-recharred-remade hogsheads; for the price a definite buy to add to your collection
DEC 24 – Yamazaki 18-Year Old 43% Cost = $500-$800 Score: low A
Nose: beautiful fruit, figs, apricot, raisin, cherry blossom, a bouquet of notes, want more time with this one; 
absolute best nose of the 24 in the series
Taste: dark fruit – dark sugar – honey – caramel, spice kicks in with a charred oak note, tobacco, espresso
Finish: lingering lengthy finish
Overall: aged in sherry, bourbon, mizunara oak casks; a hard-to-find – crazily priced in the U.S. whisky; really glad I have a bottle from a few years back (in the $200+ range) set aside – a really nice dram, but I wouldn’t pay the exorbitant current prices – too many other Japanese whiskies you can get for the price of this one bottle – don’t get me wrong this is an amazingly, wonderful dram, but . . .
Thanks for sharing in an advent calendar journey with us once again this year. If you’d like to review last year’s twenty-four whiskies from the Drinks by the Dram Premium Whiskey Advent Calendar just click on the name. May you, your family, and friends have a wonderful holiday season. Until the next advent calendar . . . cheers!
