Time for another dram!
It's been quite a while since I tried any Japanese Whisky. After my Day Trip to Mount Fuji, the plan was to pay a visit to the Kirin Fuji Gotemba distillery located at the foot of Mount Fuji. Unfortunately, I couldn't make that happen, but I did manage to buy a bottle of the Riku 50% Non-Chill Filtered Whisky made by Kirin.
A bit about
Located in Gotemba, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, Fuji Gotemba Distillery has been around since 1972. It is owned by Kirin Group, a Japanese Company specialised in beverages who also makes Kirin Ichiban - a popular lager-type beer.
They offer distillery tours Tuesday-Sunday (500 Yen) and they have a tasting area where, for a fee, you can sample some of the whiskies.
Time to try it!
Contrary to the 50% alcohol content it feels quite velvety, just a bit sharp to begin with, I'll admit, but once you get past that it's smoother than I expected. I found it to have quite a sweet taste, with vanilla on the nose and a hint of bitter orange peel taste. I couldn't detect even a shadow of smokiness and I can't say that it has much depth when it comes to flavours, but it is very easy to drink. It goes great with an ice cube and magnificently in a highball. I believe it is a single-grain whisky, but I'm not 100% sure.
In conclusion
For the 1800 Yen I paid for a 500ml bottle in a random supermarket in Kyoto, for me, it was definitely worth trying. I couldn't find this exact whisky on any UK websites, although I did find the 'Land Discovery' which looks pretty much the same and is priced around £16-£20.
By itself, it can feel quite strong, but a drop of water added or a couple of ice cubes changes the feeling drastically. It is probably in my top 3 choices for highball cocktails right now.
If you've ever tried the Riku Non-Chill Filtered from Kirin Fuji Gotemba, or any other of their whiskies, please let me know in the comments below what you think of it.
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As always, please drink responsibly.
I hope life is treating you well. Take care