Shinzato Blended Whisky (70cl, 43%)

Shinzato Blended Whisky comes from Okinawa's oldest distillery, founded in 1846, and is bottled at 43% in a 70cl bottle. It combines a Scottish malt and grain whisky base with 13-year-old Awamori that has been matured in oak, which adds a soft sweetness from rice. It then spends additional time in new, heavily charred oak casks, giving layered vanilla from both the Awamori and the barrel. It is non-chill-filtered. The nose shows mature oak and vanilla, the palate is clean and crisp with malt and gentle rice sweetness, and the finish is rich, mellow and lingering.