Editor’s Note: This whisky was provided to us as a review sample by the Ohishi Distillery and the Craft Whisky Club. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
The Craft Whisky Club is no ordinary whisky subscription service. They focus on smaller or more uncommon distillers and pair them with organic and craft delicacies. Craft Whisky Club offers two subscription packages: one full-size bottle every two months ($99), or two full-size bottles every two months ($179). Subscribers can read in-depth interviews about featured whiskies and products on Craft Whisky Club’s blog.
One subscription box this year is an exclusive and rare offering of Ohishi. The Japanese whisky is eight years old, but the finish on this whisky is what makes it rare. The Ohishi for Craft Whisky Club is finished in Banyuls casks. Banyuls is a fortified dessert wine made with a handful of grape varieties. However, Grenache is the most vital grape. Banyuls can only be made in or around the southwest town of Banyuls-sur-Mer in France because of appellation laws from 1936. Where Port has an ABV of 20 percent, Banyuls has an ABV of 16 percent.
The Kuma-Gun region of Japan is renowned for its high-quality rice and distillation. The Ohishi Distillery, founded in 1872, uses koji-fermented rice to make their whisky. Maturation takes place in former sherry or brandy casks, and finishing can take up to three years. The Ohishi bottle for Craft Whisky Club is the first Japanese whisky finished in Banyuls casks.
In the Craft Whisky Club subscription box with the full bottle of Ohishi is a box of Meiji Black Chocolate with 26 individually wrapped pieces. It is 86 percent dark chocolate, but it reminded me of milk chocolate. The chocolate is smooth and creamy, and paired with the whisky I thought it brought out a nuttiness.
Tasting Notes: Ohishi Whisky Banyuls Cask Finish x Craft Whisky Club
Vital Stats: 43.7% ABV. Japanese koji-fermented rice whisky aged for eight years and finished in rare Banyuls casks. Chosen exclusively for the Craft Whisky Club. The subscription box for the Ohishi is $99.
Appearance: Tawny brass.
Nose: At first, I get saké with notes of fortified wine and raisin. It’s very floral initially, and then a touch of cherry bursts through the whisky. There’s the faint aroma of smoke, like a home’s wood-burning fireplaces on a cold and wet day. Sweetness lingers in the background, almost like butterscotch and sugar cookies.
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Palate: The whisky is more like rubbing alcohol on the first sip, but afterward it drinks like a light saké with blush wine. There is also a bit of vegetation to the flavor. It’s a touch smoky, but not too overpowering overall. The finish is spicy, with clove and a touch of leather.
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