Togouchi Rum Cask Finish 43% 700ml

The latest release in the Togouchi range takes the distillery's signature approach somewhere new. Distilled entirely in Japan at the Sakurao distillery in Hiroshima and matured in the cool, still air of a repurposed railway tunnel, this is a blend of 15% malt whisky and 85% grain whisky drawn from unmalted barley.

Like the rest of the Togouchi range, it begins its life in ex-bourbon barrels. What sets this edition apart is the finish: a further 18 months in Jamaican rum casks, chosen to draw out extra depth and complexity. That rum influence shows in the glass, with sweet, dessert-like notes of vanilla and custard and a gentle exotic character that rounds out the profile.

There's a detail here worth noting for anyone who follows the range closely. This is the first Togouchi blend to be bottled at 43%, a decision the Sakurao team reached after careful trials to settle on the maturation time and bottling strength that would keep everything in balance.