Review #8 - Kaiyo The Peated
A foray into Japanese whisky, and another gift from family! This bottle has been in our collection for a little over a year now, and still finds ways to surprise us. From the relatively new brand of Kaiyo, this line spends some time in Madeira and Mizunara casks, is aged at sea, and ends up bottled at a respectable 46% ABV.
This definitely presents sometimes as a Scotch, which makes some sense, considering the shared 'heritage' between the two countries' whisky making scenes. It may also be due to the fact that the origin of the ingredients is unknown, and one rumor is that the peated barley is sourced from Scotland. Interestingly, this isn't even technically labeled as Japanese whisky, likely due to the fact that is does not spend all of its time aging in Japan.
Kaiyo The Peated
Japan - Blended Malt
Price Paid: USD 93 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 95 (2023)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 46% ABV
Cask Makeup: Madeira Casks and Mizunara Oak
Details: Non-chill filtered
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 4 months; bottles at 100%, 70% (blind tasting), and 80% fill level at times of review. Tasted neat in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: The first note to jump out of the glass is salt, this is a blast of sea spray; it's followed by the peat, which is a medium amount, not too heavy. There is a definite wine influence here, but it's reserved; still this is rich and heavy overall, and comes forward with a variety of fruits next: hint of citrus sharpness, probably orange, and some mossy green apple and ripe pear. With a more open nose, there is more meatiness and a hint of sauce, just a bit of funk, and we end with a hint of that medicinal coastal influence.
Palate: This palate is cozy and strong, drinks a little bit hotter than the 46% ABV would suggest, and it's a medium thickness mouthfeel. Salty and savory, like barbecue campfire and sauce, and that peat is again at a medium level, ever-present. In terms of fruit, there are little hints of lightness such as lemon and apple, but the dominant notes are those of ex-wine, with plenty of raisin and fig, maybe some prune juice, even a savory orange. The palate ends with bits of baking spice, both sweet and hot cinnamon.
Finish: Medium length finish, some mild peat hanging around; there is some oakiness in this finish, maybe bordering on tannic, but not really astringent. Not too hot now, pleasant, and there is some warm wine and sweet cinnamon, ending then with ripe, juicy orange and biscuits.
Final Note: Good stuff, and seems to be changing in the bottle as it is open longer; a few different notes presenting themselves, and a lot in common with lighter Islay single malts. The presentation here is good, too, but like many Japanese whiskies during the last few years, this suffers from a steeper price, one that is only going up. Yes, it is aged with unusual barrels and in unusual ways (the sea voyage), but it would be great to see a release like this at a more affordable price. All of that said, for those willing to spend more on a unique bottle, we would be happy to recommend this one.
Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.55
