Anyone knowledgeable about Japanese whiskey?

[Irving]

Better check and see when the next time Antique Roadshow is coming through town.

I have a friend that owns a distillery. I'll ask him if he knows anything.

[asmo]

Yes. Lots. What exactly do you want to know?

That particular bottling was awhile back (not 80s - mid 2000's if I see the bottle right) and not really up to the levels they are at now with their single malts (Yamazaki 18 sherry oak is a go-to for me when I am trying to change it up). You looking for flavor notes? Its not really worth anything per se - its on par with a Johnny Walker, as "Excellence" is a blended whiskey and low shelf.

BTW.. Jim Beam and Suntory are now the same company (Suntory bought Beam in 2014 for 16B)

Some of what I was drinking this weekend:

[kidicarus13]

Yes. Lots. What exactly do you want to know?

That particular bottling was awhile back (not 80s - mid 2000's if I see the bottle right) and not really up to the levels they are at now with their single malts (Yamazaki 18 sherry oak is a go-to for me when I am trying to change it up). You looking for flavor notes? Its not really worth anything per se - its on par with a Johnny Walker, as "Excellence" is a blended whiskey and low shelf.

BTW.. Jim Beam and Suntory are now the same company (Suntory bought Beam in 2014 for 16B)

Some of what I was drinking this weekend:

More than I knew up until now, thanks! Are you saying that it is older than 1980's? How will it taste now as compared to when it was new? (better/worse) Should the bottle be stored on its side or upright? Not worth anything huh? I guess I'll just keep it as a conversation piece.

[enthusiast]

If you plan on storing it you better seal it up better.

http://redwhiteandbourbon.com/2015/0...s-your-friend/


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005KDF3X6/


asmo: What Willet is that? I cannot tell with the glass blocking it.

[asmo]

More than I knew up until now, thanks! Are you saying that it is older than 1980's? How will it taste now as compared to when it was new? (better/worse) Should the bottle be stored on its side or upright? Not worth anything huh? I guess I'll just keep it as a conversation piece.

No problem. I love my bourbon/scotch/whiskey/whisky..

I am saying I think that bottle was produced sometime in the mid 2000s. The older ones used to have a metal plaque that went around them. They stopped doing that in the 2000 time frame. I'm not super knowledgeable of Suntory's blended stuff, but if memory serves me right that is what I remember.

Scotch/Bourbon/Whiskey ages in the barrel - not in the bottle. So when you read something like a 18 year old Scotch, that means it spent 18 years in a barrel. Once it comes out of that barrel the aging stops and the flavor is pretty much locked in (glass doesnt impart any flavor, but minor changes can occur due to evaporation/sun damage/etc - but it is incredibly minor). You store scotches/bourbons/whiskeys upright since you encouraged to drink them before the cork dries up. Again, there is no advantage to holding onto a bottle of whiskey if you expecting the flavor to change once you buy it.

My suggestion is to try it and see what you think of it. Suntory's old blended stuff used to taste a lot like bad medicine to me, but everyone's pallet is different so you never know.

[asmo]

asmo: What Willet is that? I cannot tell with the glass blocking it.

hehe.. That would be a 23yo wheated Willet bourbon -- from the original distillery. The XCF on the end is also a Willet. Its a 7 year old rye whiskey finished in Grand Marnier casks.

Some pictures from Willet when I was there last year.

[kidicarus13]

I finally found a few webpages.

[Mtn.man]

It give you slanty eyes.

[kidicarus13]

It give you slanty eyes.

It'll probably put hair on your chest too

[TFOGGER]

It'll probably put hair on your chest too

...or the roof of your mouth...