Shibui Pure Malt Japanese Whisky

Shibui Pure Malt Japanese Whisky is an 86 proof whisky from Niigata, matured in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry casks and finished in mizunara oak.

What is Shibui?

According to Wikipedia, Shibui refers to ‘a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty’ and adds that ‘Shibui objects appear to be simple overall but they include subtle details, such as textures, that balance simplicity with complexity.’ The label on this pure malt Japanese whisky confirms that it ‘describes an often understated, classic coolness in Japanese’.

Who is Shibui?

In my experience, most of the Japanese spirits I’ve tasted, including gins and whiskies, display those qualities of being subtle yet full of flavors and aromas. This makes Shibui a very good name for an organization, even more so when you know that Shibui is as much a concept as a company.

Shibui isn’t a single distillery but aims to present the best Japanese whiskies to the world, curating the best whiskies from different distilleries and showcasing them, particularly in the USA. Their motto is: ‘We Don’t Distill, We Discover’.

Niigata Japanese Whiskies

Shibui has begun with several whisky expressions from two different parts of Japan, Niigata abd Okinawa. This pure malt is from the Niigata Prefecture and has no age statement on the label, though there is also a 10-year-old, which is also from Niigata. It isn’t necessarily from the same distillery, though. There are numerous distilleries in Niigata, and Shibui wants to focus on the idea of ‘shibui’ rather than naming which distilleries its whiskies come from.

It’s a pure malt rather than a single malt, which means it is made purely from malted barley, though not necessarily from a single distillery… though it could be (such are the terms of whisky-making). In fact, according to the Distiller website it’s a mix of a Japanese malt whisky and a Scottish lowlands malt whisky, which is produced in Japan. Does that undermine the concept of presenting the best in Japanese whisky to the rest of the world? Well, maybe just a little. but as always it’s what’s in the bottle that counts.

Shibui Pure Malt Japanese Whisky

This Shibui Pure Malt Japanese Whisky is a pale golden color. The nose is smooth and subtle with some vanilla or maple syrup sweetness, ginger spice, and maybe peppermint? I thought I could smell something dusty, but not in an unpleasant way. On the palate those elements all come through – though perhaps not the dustiness! The mix of spice and sweetness is still there, but in the very subtle way that Shibui promises, and there are really pleasant hints of coffee and chocolate too.

While this Pure Malt Whisky might not be 100% Japanese it’s certainly 100% delightfully drinkable and although it’s not cheap it’s well worth the asking price of just under $70.