Fujikai 10 year old review

Having lived and travelled around Asia for years, we love our Japanese whisky. Most of the drams flooding Europe’s shores are coming out of Suntory, the distillery behind Hibiki, Yamazaki, and Hakushu. Naturally, we were chuffed to try something coming out of one of Japan’s craft distilleries, the Monde Shuzo Distillery, founded in 1952, in the city of Fuefuki.  

This whisky isn’t the brainchild of a corporate giant and has the best origin story since a dying alien passed on his station in an intergalactic peacekeeping force to Hal Jordan. The Fujikai 10 was mysteriously found in some forgotten stock in the winery that lays in the shadow of Mount Fuji. It’s ten years old and matured in ex-bourbon casks, but we can only guess what this really is, when or how this was made, and whether there’s more of it. There are only 8,088 bottles and it’s contained in 50cl opaque black bottles. It’s sold like hotcakes and people are already trying to sell it for twice the price or more.

It’s just a shame that the stuff is completely vile. Luckily, it comes in a handsome bottle because it is going to be in our cabinet until the end of time.

Fujikai 10 year old tasting notes

Nose: Like opening a can of tennis balls that have been doused in Hydrogen Peroxide, acetone and petrol.  

Mouth: As if your school bully held you upside down and pushed your head into the toilet after he stuffed fists full of dirt in your mouth.

Finish: It’s like sucking on a cheap metal fork, but mercifully it’s brief.