Created in 1985 around a simple idea: keep the richness and intensity normally experienced by the blender before whisky is diluted for bottling. Malt and grain whiskies are blended, then given additional time together in cask to "marry" before being bottled at a punchy 51.4 percent. It is compact in the bottle but certainly not in flavour, combining ripe fruit, spice and oak with a thick, concentrated texture. Controversially, this very Japanese whisky includes some imported whisky in the blend, so it doesn't meet the current requirements to be called Japanese Whisky. We don't mind though.

Nose:
Dark caramel, grilled orange and tropical fruit with pipe tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of toasted oak.

Palate:
Thick and powerful with strawberry and plum, mango, caramel, vanilla and warming spice over a rich, oily texture.

Finish:
Long and warming with brown sugar, orange peel, liquorice, tropical fruit and lingering oak spice.