Hatozaki Japanese Blended Whisky

Smooth, slightly sweet, and creamy for a blended, yet with a very balanced finish. The most surprising aspect is that it initially smells faintly of sake with alcoholic notes, but the taste is completely different. When aerated, a faint caramel scent emerges. The palate is smooth, with a slight burn, leaving a very light sweet aftertaste. There are hardly any throat notes. It's very smooth, though nothing truly sets it apart beyond its balance. The sake aroma is highly distinctive. Good for surprising the nose, though not everyone's preference.

Appearance: Pale champagne silk, white wine, very light olive oil. Nose: Botanical and herbal, like gin. Light heather honey. Smells young and grainy. Reminds me of barrel-aged gin. The nose doesn't suggest 100% malted barley as claimed on the packaging; it screams grain blend. Disappointing. Palate: Much better than the nose. Heather honey, vanilla, a slight young alcohol burn; a hint of milk chocolate. A slight drying sensation, like dark cocoa and orange peel. Wisps of smoke (peat?). Salted caramel and brine. A very slight macadamia nut flavor. Adding water ruins the experience, making it flat with only sweet honey and slight smoke flavors. Finish: Very short and drying with a developing cocoa dryness. Overall: 70/100 or 2 stars. Would you order it: No. Would you drink it if offered: Yes, if no other whisky was available, otherwise no. Would you recommend it: No. Better options exist at the $69 price point. Many are trying to capitalize on the success of Yamazaki and Hibiki.

Smells of custard, matchbox, and light yeast. It has a sweet, slightly sweaty aroma that also resembles butterscotch. Very strong grain notes like porridge and malted milk are present. Fruit notes are like chalky banana candy, subtle but sweet. The palate is smooth and very grainy, but not in a bad way. A strong sake note, a tiny bit of peppery spice, and some rounded fruit notes, mostly like barley sugar. A hint of charring appears as it opens. The finish becomes nutty, agreeing with other reviews. Overall, reminiscent of the Nikka days, it's not as bad as I expected. Perhaps I need therapy for my issues with blends. I quite enjoy the sweet grainy notes and don't mind the sweatier ones on the nose. Eager to sample their pure malt.

A well-rounded, mixed Japanese Spirit from Kaikyo Distillery in Japan created from a combination of malt & grain spirits; including spirit distilled in Japan & sourced from abroad; matured for up to 12 years in various cask types, such as sherry, bourbon & Mizunara oak; before being bottled at 40.0% ABV. It begins with a rich & delicate character with hints of cereal grains, nectarine, banana, lemongrass & spices; while a complex development adds notes of citrus, honey, sherry, mizunara, barrel char & orange blossom; leading to a tropical & oily conclusion with notes of nuts, pineapple & malt. 'The spirit is named after the Hatozaki lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in Japan.' August 2020 / 2022

A delightful surprise! Nose: Sweet (vanilla) and sour (grain and funk). Palate: Starts delicate and sweet (vanilla). I couldn't determine the type of barrels used. I speculated they might use some Mizunara, but they would likely disclose that. The initial taste is eventually heavily influenced by peat and spice. Finish: Peat lingers, creating a long, warm finish. Although this blend includes whiskeys up to 12 years old, it tasted somewhat young. Still, considering the price, I'd be inclined to buy a bottle. However, I'm curious to try the Hatozaki Small Batch given the minimal price difference and the fact that it explicitly mentions Mizunara.

Aroma: reminiscent of tequila combined with sake. Palate: surprisingly different from the aroma; it's floral and clean/bright. Aftertaste: consistently honey with a brief, mild sting on the tongue. Rating - 3.5 Rating Scale 5.0 - Exceptional, stands alone. 4.5 - Top-tier, a staple purchase. 4.0 - Enjoyable, a dependable selection. 3.5 - Decent, worth repeating. 3.0 - Standard. 2.5 - Passable, drinkable. 2.0 - Poor, unpleasant but drinkable. 1.5 and lower - Would avoid unless absolutely necessary.