Hatozaki 12-year-old Small Batch Pure Malt, Umeshu Cask Finish / 46%/ 0.7l

Hatozaki is Japan's oldest lighthouse (built in 1620) and a whisky brand from the family-owned Yonezawa Kaikyō Distillery portfolio.

The family initially started brewing, in 1917 they started distilling sake, and 100 years later, in September 2018, they applied for a whisky distilling license. The distillery is located near the Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge (1,991 meters). While waiting for the Kaikyō single malt edition, the company offers Hatozaki whisky in blended and pure malt versions. We don't know much about the formula of the latter, apart from the fact that it includes both Japanese and imported malt whiskies. The 12-year-old pure malt presented here was aged in American oak barrels and finished for six months in barrels of Umeshu, a traditional Japanese liqueur made by maceration of ume plums (a variety that combines the characteristics of plums and apricots).

Aroma: malty and fruity, honey, vanilla, caramel, plums, apricots, red apples, orange peel, lavender, notes of hay and wildflowers.

Taste : fruity with a light spiciness, vanilla, linden honey, toffee, plums, cherries, lychee, baked apples sprinkled with cinnamon, cloves and lemongrass.

Finish: medium long, with notes of ripe orchard fruit, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, white pepper and a light oak bitterness.