Ichiro’s Malt Hanyu “The Joker” best Japanese whisky of the year according to the Whisky Advocate Magazine

Ichiro's Malt Hanyu "The Joker" Multi Vintage just won the title of best Japanese whisky of the year at the 21th Whisky Advocate Awards !

Last of the "Playing Cards" series, Hanyu "The Joker" Multi Vintage is a rare and precious single malt from a distillery closed for years and whose reputation is still high today.

The last bottles of Hanyu are now very popular and cause the same enthusiasm among whisky collectors than bottles from the now mythical Karuizawa distillery.

Composed of the last casks, stored at Chichibu distillery built by Ichiro Akuto the grand-son of the founder of Hanyu, this whisky is above all an excellent blend work of barrels from different origins.

Hanyu "The Joker" Multi Vintage is in fact the result of the mix of 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 2000 vintages from Hanyu distillery, aged in fourteen different types of barrels (Bourbon, Cognac, Madeira , or puncheon, butt, hogshead and Chibidaru).

It has achieved the highest rating in its category at its tasting session by the Whisky Advocate Magazine and logically won the title of best Japanese whisky of the year according to Dave Broom, who described it as "Highly complex, rich, and distinctly resinous, it manages to hit a balance between weightiness, finesse, and intensity". He continues, "Hanyu made a bold whisky that was out of step with Japan’s palate at the time, but one that, with bitter irony, is the style which the world now wants".

Hanyu "The Joker" is a limited edition of 3690 bottles that are unfortunately now only available on auction sites, at Karuizawa prices !

Source : whiskyadvocate.com