Hanyu “The Joker” 57.7%
The history of the Japanese whisky Hanyu dates back to the 1600s, with the Akuto family producing sake in the town of Chichibu. Many years later, in 1941, the company built a factory in Hanyu and received their licence to produce alcohol in 1946, under the eyes of Isouji Akuto. It was here that they started to produce whisky in the 1980s, and in the 1990s they released a single malt whisky. Sadly, production stopped in 2000 (coincidentally close to the time when Karuizawa, another renowned Japanese distillery stopped production too), and was finally closed in 2004.
The final card in the legendary Ichiro’s Malt Card series from the closed distillery of Hanyu (along with the even rarer single cask monochrome Joker). The colour Joker is a single malt from 14 casks filled in either 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991 or 2000, with cask types including Sherry butt, puncheon, hogshead, ex-bourbon, ex-Cognac, ex-Madeira and chibidaru (‘cute casks’ – essentially quarter casks)
The final card in the legendary Ichiro’s Malt Card series from the closed distillery of Hanyu (along with the even rarer single cask monochrome Joker). The colour Joker is a single malt from 14 casks filled in either 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991 or 2000, with cask types including Sherry butt, puncheon, hogshead, ex-bourbon, ex-Cognac, ex-Madeira and chibidaru (‘cute casks’ – essentially quarter casks)
Appearance:Dark caramel, copper/amber Nose: Soft caramel, polished brass, fragrant wood, cedar, so much depth. It’s waxy, rich, concentrated, stewed dried prunes and dates, bitter orange peel (dried), pink peppercorns, old leather. Given a bit more time to open up in the glass, a floral note kicks in, with some rose petals and Turkish delight in the background.
Palate:Caramel, it starts quite soft, almost retrained, and slowly develops on your palate. There’s no big hit; it just slowly offers more and more over time. There’s ripe red and black fruits, blackberry, prune, fig, bitter orange peel, it’s rich but subtle. Grapefruit and dried citrus peel come forward after time.
Finish:Seriously long. It’s warm, with that bitter citrus peel backed with blackberry, fig, and a subtle woody note.
