Review: Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey 30 Years Old
Review: Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey 30 Years Old
We sampled the wares of Fuji earlier in the year, learning about its approach to grain whiskey, which involves three different mashbills and distilling processes. While Fuji’s standard Single Grain release carries no age statement, this edition is quite the opposite, bearing a 30 year old age statement — with some of the whiskies in the blend up to 40 years old. The whiskies in the bottle are all expressions of Fuji’s “Canadian style” distillate, all aged in used American oak barrels.
Imagine my disappointment when I didn’t care for the finished product at all.
Initially harsh and laden with acetone on the nose, the chemical notes overlay elements of honey, lemon, and a heavy layer of perfume. Hard edged on the palate, the experience doesn’t much change, with a note of Lemon Pledge battling that acetone character before, at last, some notes of sandalwood temper the rather harsh experience. Gummy and very sweet, the finish sees notes of petrol and bitter lemon peel in roughly equal proportion. The whole experience feels simply wacky, the whisky spiraling well out of its orbit and missing on most of the expectations of the characteristics that make single grain whisky worth drinking. I can’t easily explain what went wrong here, but given how delightful Fuji’s NAS grain whisky is, I’m perfectly willing to accept this simply might have spent too long in barrel.
92 proof.
C- / $3000 (700ml) / fujiwhisky.com
Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey 30 Years Old
$3000
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