Japonism is a small series from German bottler Sansibar. It refers to the art movement that included Japanese elements in Western art. The series unites their joint bottlings with Shinanoya in Tokyo, a gourmet supermarket with a long-time focus on great whisky. Especially their Benriach 1976 cask #3029 gave them a lot of fame, even here in Europe.
The latest (sixth) Japonism release is this Antique Blended Scotch 1976. While the label officially says Blended Scotch (in fact, it says Blended Scocth…), it is likely to be a teaspooned Highland malt.
Japonism – Antique Blended Scotch 1976 (49%, Sansibar with Shinanoya 2023, hogshead, 281 btl.)
Nose: very refined, with orange juice, stewed yellow fruits, cooked apple and dried slices of mango. Old paraffin and subtle furniture polish, as well as drops of herbal liqueur. Then dried banana chips, subtle apricots and mint leaves. Delicate sandalwood and musk in the background. Herbal honey, light chamomile, subtle vanilla pods and beautiful, pleasantly dusty oak.
Mouth: oily and waxy, with an underlying sweetness. Mashed bananas, tangerines and stewed orchard fruits, along with leathery notes and spiced honey. Warming pepper. Then more beeswax, honeysuckle and preserved apricots. Later a subtle dusting of cocoa powder too.
Finish: medium to long, on milk chocolate, lingering fruits, oaky notes and more wax.
High complexity, with some brilliant old-style notes. It reminds me of those undisclosed 1973 Speyside or Secret Highland Malt whiskies. This could easily pass for a blended malt indeed – a pretty stellar blended maltat that. Sold out in Tokyo, but some bottles are still available in Europe.