Yamazakura Asaka "The First" (70cl, 50%)

Yamazakura Asaka "The First" is a Japanese single malt and the first release from the Asaka Distillery, which is owned by Sasanokawa Shuzo. It was launched in December 2019 and is bottled at 50% ABV in a 70cl bottle. The whisky is about three years old and is reportedly matured in first-fill bourbon casks. Only 1500 bottles were released. The distillery was established in 2015, with its first distillation in 2016, on the site where Ichiro Akuto temporarily stored several casks of Hanyu. Vanilla sweetness and fresh citrus are described on both nose and palate, followed by a long, lingering finish that shows the character of the distillery's new make spirit.