Last night in Nagano

Enjoying some last night drinks in Nagano at the hotel bar on the top floor. At sunset there was a lovely view of the mountain ranges that surround Nagano city.

I was very keen to try a Japanese Whisky, so I went with the Hakushu 12 Year Old. Distilled in the Southern Japanese Alps, within the Chubu region, the area is known for its pristine water which is used in creating the whisky. The Hakushu was lighter in colour and was gentle on the nose, some aromas of freshly mown grass and cornflower were detected. It had a lively body, I got a sense of creme brulee and a medium-to-long finish. Who am I kidding, it tasted like a good whisky.

Interestingly, Japanese Whisky production began around 1870 with its origins in the country largely attributed to Shinjiro Torii, a pharmacist who studied distilling in Scotland. Scotch and Japanese Whisky share many similarities in their production, however Japanese Whiskies tend to have a lighter and sweeter profile.Read more