It is hot and humid, which, I have read, is how Japan tends to be at this time of year.
Chichibu 2009/2012 The Floor Malted (50.5%, OB Ichiro's Malt distributed by Japan Import System imported by Number One Drinks, 8800b, b#8142): nose: soft, elegant, classy and a little fruity. We have umeshu, plum juice spilled on wooden decking, and an odd mix of watercolour and paint thinner, a mix that may well hint at leather boots. Deeper nosing focuses on turpentine, for a second, then brings us back to fruits. Grapes and nectarines join plums, with greengages on the fringe. A drier undercurrent becomes perceptible: dry-brushing, the residue in a glass of evaporated turpentine, or even a bale of straw in a barn heated by the sun. The second nose doubles down on paint thinner, and it is remarkable that it does not turn too heady or off-putting. Watercolour and waxy plums, followed by a pinch of ash, help balance it. Mouth: umeshu indeed, or magkeolli, even. It is very reminiscent of those Asian wines, unctuous, creamy, fruity. Chewing adds a drop of paint thinner, but it retains a creamy texture. This has a delicate, dry bitterness that is not too far from chewing a straw, vegetal and cereal-y at the same time. Fruits are less perceptible, but it does have unripe plums. The second sip feels waxier and juicier, with plump green grapes, nectarines and greengages. We also detect a glass of magkeolli enjoyed at a candle-lit table. The straw from earlier transforms into ash. Finish: it mixes the bitter crunch of straw with a minty vanilla to resemble nothing else, or, at least, nothing obvious. It is a long, refreshing finish, once more reminiscent of magkeolli. The second gulp has half-burnt fruit stones, tatters of flesh still attached. Strangely enough, the "refreshing" aspect of the first gulp turns almost abrasive, the way ashes can be. All the same, it is simultaneously coating and soothing, as if the ashes were from burning scented wood or incense. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, EG)
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