Shizuoka Prologue K

The inaugural release from the distillery. Limited to 5000 bottles for the Japanese market; produced using the renowned former stills. Aroma: Young, malty minerality is apparent, with notes of oats and barley sugars. A strong honey presence is accompanied by a faint peaty funk. There's a grainy alcohol sensation. Palate: The initial impression is quite strong, with a slight ethanol sting and… plastic? However, it evolves to reveal earthy minerality. Deeper exploration uncovers a pleasing syrupy richness. To be clear, it is young… and it shows with a slight grainy sting; but, for a three-year-old malt, it displays considerable character and oiliness. There's a dark funk (almost like a young Springbank). A light peat is detectable. Clove spice is woven throughout. Fruity notes of pears, apples, and honey complete the profile. Finish: Medium… perhaps even long. It concludes with a peaty funk and syrupy sweetness. Spice and a full body are present! Quite impressive, and likely my favorite aspect of the dram. Again, the malty character of the distillate is very clear and prominent, which I greatly admire. The youthfulness makes itself known again, but it's handled well. Score: 86/100 Conclusion: Let's address the elephant in the room. If you're aware of this whisky, you likely know it commands a price close to $1000 on the secondary market. This is probably due to FOMO, its use of the legendary stills, or its status as the first release from this distillery, limited to the Japanese market. So, while I understand the markup over the original retail price (around $85-$89), I do not believe it warrants a price exceeding $200, let alone $700. It's good, don't get me wrong, especially for a three-year-old! And I admit, it's a remarkable piece of Japanese history. However, the current market pricing is exorbitant. I'm glad I had the opportunity to try it and experience something unique; I eagerly anticipate their older releases. But please, if you're considering paying secondary market prices, proceed with caution. Or don't, it's just my perspective.

I sampled the K, W, and Contact S variations, including both imported and Japanese Barley versions, as well as the first and second editions. The woodfire version (W) was decent, but I favored the K. The peat in this spirit (first edition, imported barley) is intriguing. While the whisky seemed quite young, it was not bad for a 3-4 year old Japanese spirit. It's not mind-blowing, and I don't believe it's worth $200 USD. I have conflicting thoughts about this spirit; it's not Scotch and lacks the typical qualities of Japanese whisky. There's a lot of buzz surrounding this spirit and its distillery, partly due to their use of components from former Karuizawa stills (not the actual spirit). I admit I got caught up in the excitement and bought the K first edition with imported barley. Nose: Floral, sweet, with a strange plastic aroma, similar to what another reviewer noted. I perceived it more as a melted plastic scent, which I found unusually interesting. Palate: Spicy, a little rough, and very young. It coats the mouth and feels oily due to the high alcohol content. Some sweetness emerged after adding a bit of water. Finish: A pleasant, medium-length finish.