Let me say right up front, this is effectively neutered by the low ABV. At 43% all the subtle elements here - and there are a lot - becomes almost like whispers, hints, suggestions. I would be very very interested to try a cask strength version of this, which I know exists but is exceedingly rare.
Hakushu is made by beverages giant Suntory, and comes from a distillery high in the mountains. It's apparently very lightly peated, since all the official marketing describes it as "lightly smokey." On another website, I found this very detailed description:
The Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky is made exclusively
from malted barley, which is milled and mashed with water sourced from
the Ojira River and Jingu Rivers (the water has a unique softness and
purity, made possible by its filtration through the granite rocks of the
Japanese Alps). Once the grains have been mashed, they are fermented by
a unique strain of yeast (Hakushu Distillery has thousands of unique
strains in its arsenal) in wooden washbacks. Despite the additional cost
and labor required, wooden washbacks as compared to stainless steel
washbacks take advantage of the distillery's unique location by
incorporating naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria and other
microorganisms into the wash.
Following fermentation, the wash is distilled twice through Hakushu's
copper-pot stills before the whisky is laid to rest in the distillery's
warehouses. Once the whisky has aged for a minimum of twelve years, it
is brought to proof with pure Japanese spring water. As a result of the
whisky's slumber in Japan's deep forests, Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese
Single Malt Whisky has an herbal aroma, with hints of apples, pears and
almonds. The palate has notes of pears, butter cookies and dark plums
that are complemented by a subtle, smoky undertone. The finish is soft
and pleasant, with a dry, lingering touch.
Hakushu 12 Year Old earned the Gold Medal at the International Wine and
Spirits Competition, where it was named "Best in Class." In addition, it
earned the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits
Competition in 2013, and a score of 92 points from the Beverage Testing
Institute.
Which is very informative and helpful, so thank you to Caskers.com.
As mentioned above, bottled at 43%. Let's investigate my reunion with Hakushu:
Nose: Subtle, savory rather than sweet, earthy. Light smoke, and pine needles. Baked green apples ... and also apple cores or seeds (bitter apple). Baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg). Field herbs, and menthol. Hints of bookbinder's glue. Ginger. Just a lot going on here.
The neck pour was especially fragrant; later pours are more "pear with herbs, plum with spice" and only hints of the rest.
Mouthfeel: On the thin side, mostly due to the low ABV I think.
Palate: Surprisingly lovely - the entry is smoky and fruity: very delicate wood smoke, sour apple candy, sweet pear drops, moss and petrichor (wet forest), mint leaves, tea, cinnamon pastry.
You can tell there is a lot happening in the glass, but the low ABV prevents you from fully engaging with the flavors. This is presented, probably deliberately, in an unchallenging way. On the other hand, it's dangerously moreish at 43% - there is zero alcohol presence, it's completely integrated.
Finish: At only 43% this has quite a finish - smoke, apple, cinnamon, mint, and light earthy peat.
Verdict: I guess my palate wasn't ready for this in 2014, because I love this bottle. It's so delicate and complex, astounding considering the very low ABV. Suntory really hitting it out of the park with this.
Hakushu, along with Yamazaki, is notoriously hard to source. This is the first bottle of Hakushu I've seen in quite some time, and it was the last bottle on the shelf at a whisky enthusiast's bottle shop in Washington DC (shoutout to Chris at Jack Rose). Recommended for those who prefer the herbal/savory side of whisky.
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