Sensei Japanese Whiskey

I had my eye on the two bottles labeled “Japanese whisky” (I admit I'm not up-to-date on the new regulations), and this was one of them. The other was Suntori Toki, which is acceptable for what it is. The bartender appeared intrigued by my confused look and gave me a "sample" of about 1oz. I couldn't finish it ☹️ The aroma reminded me of isopropyl alcohol – not ethanol, but more like rubbing alcohol. There was a bit of cereal grain and a fleeting hint of fruit towards the end, but this was essentially thin, grain alcohol with minimal wood influence. Avoid it completely.

A very pleasant beverage...nothing world-altering, but enjoyable throughout. Nose: Vanilla, coconut, and grass. The flavor profile carries through to the taste, starting lightly, building with vanilla and grass in the mid-palate, and concluding with a peppery kick. The finish is not long-lasting, but the experience is enjoyable from start to finish. This marked my initial exploration into Japanese whisky, and there's certainly enough here to encourage me to explore others in the future. For under $30, it's a worthy bottle for daily enjoyment.

Nose: Heavy Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) with a faint sour wood aroma at the end. The harshness on the nose softens with water or ice (tried both) but the spirit's sourness persists. Oak is present but overshadowed by an unusual sourness that could generously be called 'funk' but isn't well-executed. With ice, a hint of smoke appears but does little to improve the flavor. Avoid at $20; better options exist even at that price, let alone the $40 MSRP.

This is the first Japanese whiskey I've tried. It's delicate in a good way: crisp, light, and sweet. However, the alcoholic presence that might be noticeable in such a mellow spirit doesn't dominate but rather integrates, content to be part of the overall profile. As my first Japanese whiskey, I'm pleased with it and anticipate having more similar whiskeys in my collection.

In all honesty, I took a chance, and it's not the worst decision I've made. It's rather sharp on the nose, but a splash of water improves it somewhat. Quite sweet, it brings to mind Old Crow bourbon. I won't be purchasing this again, but it's not as terrible as those who apparently favor Basil Hayden's make it out to be. It's simply not an enjoyable whiskey, and that's acceptable.

Tasted like floral-scented rubbing alcohol. The best part was the residue from the Laphroaig 10 that hadn't been rinsed from the glass. I might literally discard the bottle; otherwise, it will remain on my bar until I can persuade friends to finish it over the next few decades. Fortunately, I received it as a gift!