Like the 2 previous posts, we’re still in Japan, but this time, it’s from my tasting notes notebook.

Last summer I took part in the Dramming.com Freestyle Blind Tasting contest (which of course, I utterly failed and probably finished last :-\ ). This one was mark in blue and I guessed it to be the standard J&B…

but the correct answer was ‘Isawa 1983 Vintage’. Of course I never heard on this whisky (distillery and brand),  so I had to use Google here 🙂

Isawa is the name of the single malt produced at Monde Shuzo wine company at their Monde Shuzo distillery. This 1983 vintage is their first official bottling, although now they other bottlings available such as ‘Isawa Standard’ (NAS) and ‘Isawa 10yo’. and the bottle itself is a unusual 660ml sized bottle.

So what did I think of this one back then?

Isawa 1983 Vintage (NAS, 43% ABV, £85)

Nose: Unusual nose. mostly wet cardboard & wood, resin, vanilla is hiding there too, tobacco

Palate: Wet wood & cardboard, cigar smoke & ashes, bitter spices. Ugh.

Finish: Medium length, woody notes, bitter spices

Conclusion: Disliked it (and I’m gentle here…), coarse and not to my liking. some says this is special, but for me it was special bad. It was the least liked one in the blind tasting competition. It’s a one time experience and it should stay so.