Kamiki Japanese Cedar Cask Finish Blended Malt

I happened upon a bottle of Kamiki Maltage from a preferred local fine spirits shop because a business associate raves about it. After reading several reviews, I approached this tasting with cautious optimism. First off: Kamiki Maltage is finished in Cedar Casks. That's novel and unique. But is it a situation of "it's unique because no one else wants to use cedar casks?" Or was it a flash of genius some master distiller in Japan discovered one day? I do generally enjoy Cedar. I like its scent; it reminds me of a quality cigar humidor and deters moths (I keep Cedar rings in my closet). Upon opening this bottle, one can't ignore the accolades prominently displayed on the packaging. London Spirits Silver, Ultimate Spirits Challenge Chairman's Trophy, LA Spirits Awards platinum AND Best World Whiskey Roman Whiskey Festival? This whisky had better not be boasting achievements that were not earned. The nose on this one is a bit peculiar. It smells of straw and something slightly briny and savory? Strange. I wonder if I'm just detecting some savory, salty notes after tasting a peated whisky. Still, I switched my glass for a clean one, so I'm definitely not mixing the scents. The taste has an underlying sweet honey quality along with some sandalwood. There's an odd funkiness to this... could it be from the Cedar Casks? It's almost like a hint of damp wood flavor, similar to a stack of firewood after heavy rain. The finish is extremely quick. You get a slight sweet tartness reminiscent of canned mandarins, but it's very subtle. Mostly just more of the sweet honey and damp wood. I'm unsure... this isn't among my favorites by any stretch, but there are considerably worse options in this price range. I wouldn't repurchase it, but it was an interesting departure from the usual.

Aroma - Faintly floral, honey, sandalwood, roasted barley tea, undertones of Chinese herbal medicine roots, dried ginseng, cedar Taste - Dried goji berries, subtle dried oolong tea, dried Chinese red dates, ginger warmth, dried persimmon Finish - Lingering fruity barley tea, mild candied ginger, Chinese red dates, dried persimmon sweetness Score - 70/100 Final Thoughts - This was...intriguing, I suppose. It had an interesting aroma that I've only encountered before in a young specialty barley whiskey I had once at Westland Distillery in Seattle, WA. The cedar notes were quite evident, but there was also this peculiar Chinese herbal medicine vibe/funk I detected. This one tasted quite young, and while interesting, it was somewhat odd. It didn't feel very well-integrated, and I'm unsure if the cedar influence was simply overshadowing the malt or what, but it was just generally peculiar. Would I drink it if offered? - Perhaps Would I specifically order it? - Not anymore Would I buy a bottle? - Not another

Exceptional barley grains throughout. Dried apricots, sandalwood, kaffir lime, honeyed floral dew, plantains, peppery, creamy, with a strong but not entirely unpleasant woody astringency. White nectarines and Macintosh apple remain. Possesses a very pronounced orchard/stone fruit character. I couldn't discern the cedar wood, noting only that it lacks typical oak characteristics, whether French or American. Eventually, it oxidized, revealing fried plantains and gummy dried apricots. It resembles an imitation of Speyside malts. It's missing the complexity and age of Scotch but is still far superior to the few domestic single malts I've sampled. Miyagikyo remains the finest Japanese malt I've encountered to date.

Tasting Methodology: Neat in a Canadian Glencarin class. Rested 10 minutes. Aroma: sandalwood, cedar. Sweet red apple. Mouthfeel: dry hardwood bite. sharp warm tannins Palate: sweet sandalwood cedar. No floral or fruit, just wood 🪵 Finish: aged apple cider. lingering balsa wood that turns into bitter driftwood (ironwood) Rating: 8/10 - only because I prefer the Kamiki intense Price paid: $80 Value rating: 8/10 Overall: lovely, but the Kamiki intense is better

The aroma is dominated by something unusual, likely from the cedar casks. Sweet and flowery capture it best, though a faint bitter wood undertone is present. That undertone takes over on the taste, delivering a very floral profile with a strong malt funk in the finish. The sweetness becomes more apparent upon returning to it, but the slight bitterness remains. It's worth trying if you seek something distinct and prefer grain and floral-forward single malts.

This whiskey's maturation in cedar casks imparts a very distinct scent. The palate offers fruit followed by a mild, short burn, which is pleasant given the 48% ABV. Adding a few drops of water refines it, reducing the cedar aroma to the background and making the palate more delicate and fruity.