Shizuoka United S Edition Winter 2023 (50cl, 50.5%)

Shizuoka United S Edition Winter 2023 is a Japanese whisky from Gaiaflow Shizuoka, made by blending distillates from the K and W stills. These draw on Japanese barley, peated and unpeated malt and Scottish beer malt. The blend then goes through a second distillation in the S still, a Scottish Forsyth still. It comes in a slimmer 50cl bottle that is easier to handle while still feeling weighty in the hand. The nose is chalky, with mashed banana, lemon juice and apple. Beeswax, apple, lemon and pink pepper lead the palate, and the finish is long and immaculate.