Whisky Yuza Whisky Magazine IB Collection Hua Yang 2019

Along with the 7 years old Chichibu and the 3 years old Sakuroa, this 7 years old Yuza stems from of an exclusive collaboration between bottler Hua Yang and Whisky Magazine, and is part of the Whisky Magazine IB Collection Hua Yang series of Japanese craft whisky. Originally founded by nine sake brewers in the heart of Yuza in 2017, the Yuza distillery is a jewel nestled between mountains and sea, and the only whisky distillery of the prefecture of Yamagata. Here, the warehouses benefit from a unique marine and mountain environment with regular snowfall and sea breezes combining to provide the fresh, pure water that is essential for producing whisky. This young distillery stands out with its unique approach, producing few bottlings, with an emphasis on bourbon cask-aged malts. For this cuvée, and this particularly important stage, the distillery exceptionally opted for sherry casks.
The amber colour reveals an intense bouquet with notes of barley and yeast aromas mingling with fruity notes of kumquat, and a subtle touch of leather. On the palate, the fruity vivacity reveals delicious juicy orange flavours perfectly balanced by a chocolatey sweetness, leading to an intense, expressive finish.