Saké Ai Misen Daiginjö – 72 cl

Color: golden yellow
Aroma: fine fruity and floral notes accompanied by a delicate lime and grapefruit note
Taste: soft and supple body with notes of white peaches, grapes, coconut, limes and spices.
Finish: long and complex

The Ichidai Ai-misen Daiginjo sake from the Chugoku-Jozo brewery, founded in 1918, has a degree of polish of over 60 percent. It has been manufactured in the city of Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture since 1963.
Sake is a Japanese rice wine made from polished rice, water and yeast, but is more similar to beer in production. Unlike beer, however, the fermentation of sugar to alcohol sometimes takes place at the same time as the fermentation of starch to sugar. Sake contains 15 to 20 percent alcohol.

The Kikusui distillery is located in Kuroshio, Köchi Prefecture, Japan. It takes advantage of the climate favorable to the cultivation of sugar cane to cultivate its own raw material for the production of its rums.

Ryoma rum is produced from pure sugar cane juice and crafted using traditional Japanese methods. It is characterized by its fermentation, carried out using yeasts specially bred to ferment sake!
Ryoma's atypical style also comes from very fine sugar cane, typical of Japan.

Distilled in a pot still, this rum is then aged in white oak barrels.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Marked by floral notes, the nose offers notes of white flowers, star anise and nougat.
• Mouth: Full of roundness and delicacy, the palate reveals aromas of vanilla, coconut and ginger.
• Finish: Fresh, the finish is distinguished by delicate citrus notes before notes of bitter molasses and chocolate come to close the tasting.

A famous old brand of Japanese whisky. Nikka Super is made with a high proportion of malt whiskies from Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries.

The flavour profile is classically Japanese in style with herbal, spicy notes along with sweet citrus fruits and a subtle maltiness. 

World Whiskies Awards: Best Japanese Blended No Age 2013 Best Japanese Blended No Age 2015

Taste: Soft and juicy with lemongrass, honey, ripe citrus and spicy oak flavours.

Nose: Dried herbs, incense, roasted spices, sweet citrus and melon.

Colour: Deep reddish bronze.

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Marvellously refreshing gin all the way from Japan! Produced by Chugoku Jozo at its Sakurao distillery, Sakurao Japanese Dry Gin is made with a selection of local botanicals including yuzu, Japanese cypress, oyster shell and cherry blossom, alongside some traditional important ingredients like juniper and coriander.

Tasting Note: Oily juniper, vegetal freshness, citrus peels with a touch of jammy orange, white pepper and a hint of vanilla.

Eigashima Distillery (known as White Oak Distillery in Japan), located in Akashi near Kobe, Japan, is both the country’s oldest and smallest whisky distillery. Founded in 1888, the tiny distillery runs on a seven person operation! Akashi is a coastal town residing on the edge of Osaka Bay. Due to Akashi’s unique climate with extremely hot summers and cool winters, as much as 7%-8% of Eigashima’s maturing whisky may be lost to evaporation each year (opposed to the 2% commonly seen in Scotland). While this lowers still the overall production yield, it also acts as a catalyst for the maturation process, as the temperature swings encourage interaction between the whisky and the wood. As a result, Akashi White Oak Japanese Whisky has a malty, citrusy aroma with scents of black cherry, toffee and oak. This whisky is made with a variety of wheat, barley and rye with hints of subtle peat. Notes of vanilla and pine nuts dominate the palate, and lead to a long, malty finish. Excellent introduction to the Japanese whisky category, those looking for a segway into Scotch, or an every day drinking dram.

Tasting Note:

Nose: Buttered hot cross buns, chocolate peanuts, lemongrass and a light hint of spicy rye grain.

Palate: Cherry bakewells and walnut loaf. Sweet cereals with a dusting of nutmeg and black pepper.

Finish: Medium length. Quite sweet with dried apricot and a touch of oatcake.

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"Situated between the north and south Japanese alps, Mars Shinshu is Japan’s highest whisky distillery, at nearly 800 meters. The Hombo family have been distilling for more than a century and they added whisky to their repertoire in 1949 in Kagoshima. That was the southernmost whisky made in Japan until 1984, when all whisky production was moved to the current location in Nagano. Kiichiro Iwai, the name sake for this Mars Whisky, was a silent pioneer of Japan whisky. This whisky is inspired by great whiskies of America. A majority of corn balanced with light malt aged in ex bourbon barrels. Ideal for daily sipping, in a mint julep or an old fashioned.

NOSE: Some vanilla toasted oak notes, a touch of melon

TASTE: Vanilla pound cake and lychee.

FINISH: Sweet with fruit flavors like pear, quince and hints of red fruits and vanilla.

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.