What do you get when a Japanese whisky company blends well-aged Scotch malt, extends its maturation in Mizunara casks, then bottles it for the American market?
At least in Hatozaki’s case, it’s a straight malt whisky even bourbon diehards may love.
Hatozaki Whisky’s latest release—and the fourth in their “Omakase” Series—is a 15 Year Old Mizunara Cask Finish whisky, which is the oldest age-stated release from the company. The whisky started as a blend of malts, all distilled in Scotland and aged in new charred oak barrels (contrasted with the more common usage of ex-bourbon casks). After 12 years of initial aging, the blended whisky was transferred to Mizunara casks, with wood sourced from forests in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island. Three years later, the final whisky was bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof).
It’s the latest in Hatozaki’s Omakase line, which leans into unique cask finishes selected by founding distiller and blender Kimio Yonezawa. The Hatozaki brand comes from Kaikyō Distillery and is the brainchild of founder, Master Distiller, and Master Blender Kimio Yonezawa, whose family has been distilling shochu since 1917.
This particular release is limited to just 3,000 individually numbered bottles, all of which will be distributed in the U.S. with an MSRP of around $150. I got an early taste of Hatozaki’s oldest-ever release, and it’s clear why this whisky is focused on the American market. It’s a straight malt whisky I suspect even the bourbon purists in our lives might really enjoy.
I’m not generally one to dwell on a whisky’s color—after all, the proof is in the taste—but from a first glance, this 15 year single malt comes in several shades darker than a similar spirit without the influence of virgin charred oak. And from first sniff, those new charred oak casks make their presence known: big hits of scrapped vanilla, dark pan caramel, cinnamon, and buttered toast combine for an almost bourbon-like quality. For a 92 proof single malt, Hatozaki’s latest noses a bit higher, featuring some brawny oak character that’s almost certainly built with those virgin casks and then accentuated by the influence of Mizunara. Bourbon drinkers will find a lot to love at first sniff. And malt whisky fans will also find plenty to enjoy, with plenty of nutty malt, barley bread, and ripe apple just below the surface.
The palate is a touch lighter than the nose, with a semi-creamy mouth feel that conveys early flavors of fresh pear, mixed red fruit and berries, vanilla custard, and barrel-aged maple syrup. Those early flavors evolve into fruit-infused creme brulee and a light taste of homemade cranberry sauce, with a little tartness to balance the dessert. The finish transitions further into warming, sweet oak, with a final, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pop of passionfruit syrup.
It’s a bolder, more oak-forward profile compared to what some might expect from Japanese whisky. Indeed, its origins in Scotland and use of new oak give it a very different pedigree. But The Kaikyo Distillery has worked to make this something all its own, crafting a dram that takes drinkers right up to the edge of wood intensity without teetering over into an oaky abyss.