Juyondai and Next5

Drinking at Stag in Kikakyushu.

1957 Blandy’s Bual – nice and savory on the palate, kinda like Shaoxing (紹興酒) that has had salted plum (話梅) soaked in it. Only medium sweet since it’s Bual.

The Strathconon 12 Years Old – apparently this was from the 1970s and 1980s, and are no longer made today. Wasai-san had to peel off some Scotch tape he used to seal up the bottle to slow down the evaporation. This was certainly smoother and milder, and I could kinda taste the effect of age on it. A little sweet and grassy on the palate, but not too much.

Drinking at Shuho (酒峰) in Fukuoka.

Next Five Hyouge Mono 2018 Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo (生酛 純米大吟醸) – I had seen others post about Next Five, but this was my first opportunity to try it. This particular bottling was apparently done as a collaboration with a manga (漫画).  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 45%. Very smooth and soft, with a sweet attack but a bit dry mid-palate. Sweet nose with a little banana. Nice depth on the palate.

Juyondai Junmai Daiginjo Tobingakoi Shichitare Nijikkan Ryugetsu (十四代 純米大吟醸 斗瓶囲い 七垂二十貫 龍月), 23BY – seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%. Pretty smooth. Sweet on the nose but not on the palate.

Juyondai Junmai Daiginjo Tobingakoi Shichitare Nijikkan Ryugetsu (十四代 純米大吟醸 斗瓶囲い 七垂二十貫 龍月), 24BY – seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%. Bigger nose, with more fermented notes.

Juyondai Junmai Daiginjo Tobingakoi Shichitare Nijikkan Ryugetsu (十四代 純米大吟醸 斗瓶囲い 七垂二十貫 龍月), 25BY – seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%. Nose was a little sharp with starchy notes.

Jyuyondai Nakatori Daiginjo (十四代 中取り 大吟醸), 25BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. More complex nose with banana notes. Pretty smooth but still got some depth on the palate.

Jyuyondai Nakatori Daiginjo (十四代 中取り 大吟醸), 26BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. Even sharper on the nose. Smooth and sweet on the attack, and generally nice and rounded on the palate.

Jyuyondai Nakatori Daiginjo (十四代 中取り 大吟醸), 27BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. Very big nose, and this was more “typical” and classic in terms of Juyondai.

Jyuyondai Nakatori Daiginjo (十四代 中取り 大吟醸), 28BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. More powerful and complex nose. Very smooth. A little sweet on the attack but dry in the middle.

Jyuyondai Nakatori Daiginjo (十四代 中取り 大吟醸), 29BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. Fragrant nose with banana notes. Very smooth and light. Very clean.

Full post on the evening is here.