A Night With Nikka - Shirt Bar Scotch Club Tasting Sessions

The evenings sell out line up

We are all familiar with the Shirt Bar these days, especially with their Scotch Club Tasting Sessions held around the middle of each month. If you recall the last session I was to attend was the Talisker evening back in late 2013. This time The Shirt Bar held a Scotch Club Tasting Session with 4 expressions of Japanese whiskies from the Nikka distilleries. Being a massive Japanese whisky fan, as previous declared in my post In And Out, I could not ignore this one either. So as soon as the notification went out I had a ticket purchase din 3min flat. I was sure to tell everyone. Glad I did because by that evening of the same day all tickets had been sold. Not travelling alone this time I was joined for the night by fellow D.T.W.C. club members The Dog and The Proxie, as well as friend and now whisky blogger Osheen from Watch & Whisky. Also sitting out our table was another new to the whisky blogging scene Jonathan from The Whisky Ledger. Good to see new faces.

Those meagre dram pours

After ducking in from the rain, we sat, we talked, we laughed, we hassled The Dog because we could, and we enjoyed a few whisky sours as the event start was running well and truly late. That delay left enough time for The Proxy to make a few quick purchases (expected that to happen) and discover he was not the only timepiece tragic in the room. As per usual in such a relaxed atmosphere the lights dimmed and we reclined to start accepting our drams. On the line up was: Miyagikyo 12yo Single Malt; Yoichi 15yo Single Malt; Taketsuru Pure Malt 12yo Blended Malt; Nikka From The Barrel Blended Malt and Grain. This was in fact a great selection to try as the spread was coming from both the Miyagikyo Distillery on the island of Honshu, and Yoichi Distillery on the island of Hokkaido.Though I have had some of these whiskies in the past it has always been muddled with other world whiskies so it was good to just sit down and do some extra analysis. Following is some brief notes taken on the night but there was nowhere near enough time and sample to do any real analysis.

Miyagikyo 12yo, Single Malt
Distillery: Miyagikyo, Nikka
ABV: 45%
Nose: Cherries, musk, spices, vannila's and citrus
Taste: Very dry and sat high in the palate with a fruity tang. Lots of ripe pears and maybe a bit of smoke.
Finish: Medium and dry.
What I did not know: Steam fired stills to create a mild gentle heat.

Yoichi 15yo, Single Malt
Distillery: Yoichi, Nikka
ABV: 45%
Nose: Pine forests, salts and spice, creamy vanillas
Taste: burnt seaweed, spices, nail varnish and lanolin oil.
Finish: Long and spicy on the tounge
What I did not know: Coal fired stills to create a aggressive heat.

Taketsuru Pure Malt 12yo, Blended Malt
Distillery: Miyagikyo and Yoichi, Nikka
ABV: 40%
Nose: toasted almonds, dired fruit spice.
Taste: Creme brulee and macadamia nuts.
Finish: Instant, gone, nada.
What I did not know:

Nikka From The Barrel, Blended Malt and Grain
Distillery: Miyagikyo and Yoichi, Nikka
ABV: 51.4%
See previous review
What I did not know: A blending of both malts from both Miyagiko and Yoichi + corn grain.

The food of the night. Always delicious and ample.

Finishing off the tasting were neat sushi plates in individual serves distributed before the much anticipated and delicious Shirt Bar sharing platter of cured meats, cheese, breads and olives. My feeling was the sushi would have been best served in-between drams to create the Japanese relationship between food, whisky, and the clean pure flavours expected of both.

Though The Shirt Bar is a classic joint to hold any whisky event with the ambience, sweet tunes, and relaxed seating they still are very reliant on what the level the presenter is at in both public speaking and knowledge. In this case presentation was not fantastic and felt more like something to expect from a Whisky Live event with little interaction between presenter and attendees. The evening was rushed, the drams were so meagre that in 2 sips it was gone (these should have been at least 25ml samples) with many groaning disapprovals were to be heard, and within 40min or less the tasting was well and truly over. All too quick for any real appreciation which is what is was here for. Even so with the night passing all too quickly The Shirt Bar always remain open into the evening to continue on chilling out and sipping a cold brew, another whisky sour or just take in a well made cappuccino.

Those turn coats The Proxy and Osheen form Watch & Whisky talked more about watches and shirts!

For those reading about The Shirt Bar Scotch Club Tasting Sessions for the first time don't be put off by the title that it is a 'club' in the traditional sense. Anyone can go as it is simply a fees based bookings session. Just sign up for the notifications on email to find out what is on offer at the next session. Notifications generally go out about a week or 2 before hand.

Looking forward to what The Shirt Bar's next Scotch Club has on offer.

The Baron.

A Pure Traditionalist - Ian MacMillian of Burn Stewart

Ian MacMillian - Head of Distilleries and Master Blender of Burn Stewart

It is always good to meet a Head Distiller and it would seem the more you write about whisky the more the opportunity arises to do just that.

On the 17th Feb, 2014 The Head of Distilleries and Master Blender at Burns Stewart, Ian MacMillian, ran a small tasting and introduction to the company's brand line up at The Wild Rover, Sydney. Burn Stewart is a collection of 3 distillery locations under one corporate umbrella. These distilleries are: Bunnahabhain, Isle of Islay; Deanston, Stirling ; Tobermory & Ledaig, Isle of Mull. Burn Stewart sell a good deal of their products to other whisky blenders as well as maintaining 2 blended labels themselves: Scottish Leader and Black Bottle.

Ian walking us through the drams

It would seem a Master Distiller is a rare but sort after position, as Ian MacMillian is yet another fundamental individual in the Scotch Whisky world bridging the 40+ years in the industry, appearing to have no intension of leaving his children anytime soon. Entering into the life of whisky in 1973 at Glengoyne distillery, Ian proudly considers himself "a pure traditionalist" in regards to his values in making whisky which in his words "I hold them so dearly". Ian also went on to comment that the ingredients and the people are as important as each other in the production process.

True to a Head Distiller's form Ian spoke about his passion for whisky, years coming up in the industry and the stories of the daily drams that came with with it, as well as his intention to continue to pass on his knowledge to otters to ensure whisky is made by people rather than machines. Ian is clearly passionate about just about anything to do with whisky. It was especially clear when he spoke about the process of chill filtering and what is removes from whisky. One could almost sense his blood starting to heat by a couple of degrees as the thought of the process entered his mind. Ian made it clear his intention was to keep the whiskies he makes above 46% and ensure no chill fingering is to take place in order to retain as much taste, texture, and colours as possible from barrel to bottle.

The whisky line up

During Ian's talk he walked us through 4 whiskies that were key representations of each brand: Deanston 12yo, Bunnahabhain 12yo, Tobermory 15yo, Ledaig 10yo. Though I do have notes for each whisky taken at the time I would prefer to simply deliver the names in order for yourselves to explore at a later time. It would be of note to mention that all whiskies were thoroughly enjoyable from the unpeated Bunnahabhain through to the the Ledaig which Ian classes quite clearly as a true representation of an old style whisky. You may remeber in a recent previous post, A Dram To share, I had been delivered by a friend a sample of a young Ledaig additionally recasked by The Whisky Shop. It is safe to say the Whisky Shop sample is a travesty and is not delivering a true representation of what a Ledaig should taste like.

Thanks to Ian for his time, and to both Good Citizens & island2island for the invitation.

The Baron

Chivas and a Hair Cut - Chivas Brothers meets QT Sydney

Chivas and a Haircut

Being the aspiring gentry we all want to be requires a clean up from time to time. What better way to enjoy a shave from a passionate barber than in the comfort of a day spa sipping a glass of whisky... that is sipping a glass of Chivas Regal whisky while someone else does all the work. The Barber Shop at SpaQ, situated in the QT Sydney Hotel on Market St, has teamed up with Chivas Brothers to bring you the ultimate grooming come whisky experience.

Luxe Supérieure Effet!

Monday 17th February 2014 saw the launch of this joint venture between spaQ and Chivas Brothers with a opening event combining tours of the SpaQ facility while sampling tasty nips of Chivas Regal. On arrival we were greeted in the narrow SpaQ foyer to a choice of refreshingly delicious Chivas Whisky Sours (salty!) or Chivas 12yo to 18yo were served with a selection of hot and cold canapés. For those wanting to get out of the temperate almost hot spring humidity of the foyer, caused by the crush of well to do bodies, one could exit to the adjacent dark and mysterious post treatment Relaxation Room. There to crooned by Ben Davidson while sipping a few tidy glasses of Chivas Regal 25yo served in the Riedel Crystal Chardonnay Glass giving the experience the ultimate Luxe Supérieure Effet! Note to The Proxy you would be well at home here on a daily basis.

The sauna foyer, whisky sours, familiar faces

If you found it possible to remove oneself from the chillaxation room, a guided tour of the facilities was on offer. Touring the facility (glass in hand) you would encounter the Barber Shop decked out as it might have been in the 1950's with tiled walls, ornate pressed steel barbers chairs, and a vintage art deco wireless in the corner. Continuing the tour we encountered a tiled domed steam room, twin treatment rooms (as I believe the original Barbers Shops in the ye olde days) and much more before suddenly reappearing for another glass of 25yo in the chillaxation room. "Oh of I must then I simply must… thanks you Ben don't mind if I do!"

Mr Gourmantic looking for the lady shave

Of course the evening did not stop their, seated next to the popup bar with ice carved Chivas plaque was a shoe shine stall (this chap has shined my shoes before) which had to be taken advantage of. Right at the end of the night myself and Mr Gourmantic had to pop into the Barber Shop for a neat tidy up. Kris, my barber for the evening, a young Welsh chap sporting a very cool Teddy Boy Quiff, trimmed and clipped me back into a presentable shape. Kris had mentioned that they are well suited for every day shaves right up to group bucks events or wedding preparations. He also finds such group events a great way to introduce gents like ourselves back into idea of a regular Chivas (shave) and a hair cut. Comments on 'the lady shave' were rife with the barbers obliging a smile and nod to poker face the internal sighs of "heard that one before".

Shoe shines, display cases, pulled pork sliders

As a launch event goes it would have been nice to have had some presentation by Chivas and or spaQ to announce why and what was actually going on. Even so it was an easy going evening allowing for exploration of the location to fill in the gaps. A few direct questions delivered all the answers need and the staff were all to happy to help.

Not surprising it was the usual suspects, being Corinne and Kevin from Gourmantic, Osheen from Watch & Whisky, and myself to be last to leave with and with a final sip of the 25yo that saw us shuffle out into the lift and into the street.

Thanks for SpaQ, Penrod Ricard, Chivas Brothers, and Cavcon for the opportunity to be part of this unique joint venture.

The Baron

D.T.W.C. was invited as a guest this event. All views and opinions are our own unless otherwise stated.

Last Out Of The Gate - The Macallan 1824 Series

The Macallan 1824 Series - Amber, Sienna, Ruby

We have a few Macallan fans in the club so news was not taken so well when we heard that The Macallan were moving away from age statements and reworking the regular lineup from the distillery. On the 28th October, 2013, I had the pleasure of attending the official 'unveiling' of the Macallan no age statement lineup titled The 1824 Series. As mentioned The Macallan is moving away from age statements which is a growing trend in the current whisky industry. Various speculation on this trend tends to be that it is all about lack of stocks many distillers are encountering as this whisky bubble continues to expand world wide. What I have heard all too often within the industry (being the distillers PR engines) is that the importance and focus of age statements is not a justifiable reason for buying a whisky, where by it should be on quality not age. If your into your whisky then age is marker of certain expectations in maturity so truly I think there is no way of getting around the way people buy whisky. But this is growing trend so expect a lot more of it to come especially by the big producers.

Refreshing cocktails were the order of the day to stem the radiating heat.

Setting the scene The Macallan has always positioned itself apart as a premium product from the marketing, packaging, and of course price point. In tow it was no surprise the evening also reflected this from pedestal positioned whisky taking pride of place to, the event location being the Blu Bar located on level 36 of Shangri-la Hotel, Sydney. Even with the hot sun pounding through the floor to ceiling windows making feel like a cocktail party in a sauna, it was hard to miss the spectacular views into the Sydney Harbour. As the sun passed cocktails were indeed served to quench ones thirst. Though I do not know the name the cocktail it was based on the Amber expression muddled with Creme de Gingembren (a ginger flavoured creme liqueur), vanilla syrup, grapefruit bitters and lime juice. I was particularly taken by the freeze dried apple garnish and had to sample a few more just to ensure they were still just as tasty.

Speakers Cheryl Tang, Matthew McCool, Andrew Debridge

The evening was quite full with a crowed of well to ladies an gents as well as some of the more regular faces amongst to be seen. A short but heavily sales weighted introduction by The Macallan Brand Ambassador started the evening off but I tired very quickly as it was reiterated over and over again how much money The Macallan were putting into whisky production, how much their sales were in recent years, and how premium their product was. I did feel like I was being sold into rather than welcomed. Following on the whiskies were walked through by SMWS Cellarmaster & NSW Manager Andrew Debridge in the all too professional manner we have become accustomed to. I found the presentation very informative and in-depth as we nosed and tasted our way into the evening. Though the noise level was at pitch in between tasting Andrew would spare a few minutes to answer any questions we may have had. Head Chef Matthew McCool inadvertently kept the humour of the evening running simply by his method of public speaking. Almost whispering like a field mouse the head chef introduced each of the selections of Canapes before quickly ducking, diving and weaving into the crowd either to get back to the kitchen, or take the scrutiny of the crowd off himself, or maybe a bit of both.

Be sure to remember the name as the packaging is almost identical

It is clear from the 3 whiskies unveiled that they are aptly named in reflection of colour being Amber, Sienna and Ruby. Noting at the time we did not see the 4th or 5th members of the family Gold, and M. The naming is well chosen with the colour of the whisky reflected well against it and as the sun was setting through the room the colours became even more alive. Just by the colour you can tell these are all 100% sherried oak whiskies. The Macallan have put special emphasis on quality oak selection to ensure colour, body and flavour are developed during maturation specifically for each expression. In tasting the whiskies I found the expressions all to underwhelming for the hype it has been given. Reflecting has The Macallan become the last horse out of the gate? Sherry, sherry, and even more sherry. I don't know about you but I am really starting to have to take a deep breath and simply sigh out when another distillery mentions a new release with a sherry oak finish. Ok so The Macallan is no stranger to this granted as specialist oaks is their thing and yes they taste just fine but it all is getting a little too much in my books.

Pricing has been set for each whisky at a premium starting at a level most do not exceed on even a whisky purchase. Expect to be seeing them around the following:
The Macallan 1824 Amber - $105 AU
The Macallan 1824 Sienna - $160 AU
The Macallan 1824 Ruby - $220 AU

I really would have liked to have given some detailed tasting notes as I do not like writing about something without reference but I spilt whisky all over my notes on the night blurring everything. I was promised some samples weeks before the event that never arrived and then promised them twice more after the event but again they never arrived. Apparently the courier company "left them in a safe place" hhhhhhhmmmmmmmm. Sienna was my fav from what I recall as the Ruby just got too juicy but all of them were also faint or mildly transparent at the same time. No aggressive or offensive scents in the nose they sort of fall into the whisky when your not having a whisky moment. Too comfortably maybe or just too safe.

Crowds building as the whisky takes centre stage

Unfortunately it is near impossible to give any notes either on the paired food. Not for lack of trying to actually taste them my evening was completed by searching for the nearest burger joint as the alcohol welled inside me. It was clear most others felt the same as groans of dismay could be heard when single platters were consumed before ever entering the door. You could see the fear in the waitresses eyes at every turn. Yes and I know I have said it all too often but ample food and water is imperative at any of these events to ensure some level of focus.

Those unfortunate ice balls and new glasses to fit

Funny and sad at the same time the Macallan Ice Ball Machine came out to serve with the whiskies after the presentation. Quoating from the official press release "This ingenious contraption uses the weight and ambient heat of its metal construction to melt large ice cubes into a perfect sphere… the spherical nature of the ice balls also served the practical purpose of slowing down the melting process, cooling at a rate that preserves the integrity of the single malt". Unfortunately the ice ball was too big for the Macallan Glasses so a quick change out to a wide neck generic glass was made. Oh my! At a whopping £650.00 you would have thought they matched the ball t the glasses.

Grateful as I always am to even have the opportunity to attend events my final verdict is that those most familiar with The Macallan are going to feel a little disappointed with the end results of these whiskies, especially with the price points they have been allocated. These are not bad whiskies by any means and I do not doubt the time and science given to developing them, they just aren't out of the ordinary in anyway others have not achieved already. Sherry is becoming the new alcopop of whisky guaranteeing access to a wide and varied audience and not offending anyone. I look forward to what is coming next in The Macallan NAS (No Age Statement) world and hope it is not that other unique idea... port wood.

The Baron

D.T.W.C. was invited as a guest this event. All views and opinions are our own unless otherwise stated.

Japan's Greatest Beer Of Beers - Yebisu

Yebisu Premium - The Beer Of Beers

Following up my last post on the Ins and Outs of buying Whisky Duty Free In Japan, I thought it only appropriate I also indulged in a commentary on a close cousin Japanese beer (undistilled whisky). So yes I was in Hokkaido, and I was near the Nikka Yoichi Whisky Distillery, but did I make a pilgrimage? Unfortunately not but next time I will be sure to. In the meantime let's get on with talking about beer. If you don't know this movie shows exactly how Japanese beer is brewed.

I like Japanese beer a lot (no kidding I have said that enough in the past). Not because it is Japanese but because of how clean and pure it always is. From my very first trip to Japan in the 1997 I have had a love for the Nippon brews. Japanese beer from Japan should not be confused with Japanese labelled beer here in Australia by and means. Unless your really lucky the Japanese beer you get here at your local bottle shop IS NOT from Japan but rather brewed in Thailand, Malaysia, or Canada, and or brewed under license in Australia itself. Just because it says imported automatically does not mean it is authentic or better. Check the import details on the label and see where the origin is. These are not bad beers in any way either just because they did not come from Japan. For me the flavour and texture is paramount and it is the source that counts and that source is Japan.

So what makes Japanese brewed beer different? I have no idea the chemical side of things but maybe it's the water, maybe the grains and ingredients, or maybe just the fact the style is brewed to taste for the locals (just like Fosters is for export in all those variations around the world). Either way Japanese beer brewed in Japan is different and that just adds to the excitement of actually travelling the 9hrs by air to get there. In the meantime I settle happily for what is available locally either way.

If there is one thing I look forward too while catching a JAL flight to Japan it is the selection of Japanese beer on the plane. In general a JAL flight you will be supplying Kirin Ichiban, Asahi Super Dry, Sapporo, and most often limited supply of Yebisu Premium so get in early on that one.

Cold storage for my Yebisu beers is a must when on the slopes!

I have my favourites in Japanese beer of course and the top of that list is Yebisu Premium. Pronounced E-bi-su, or if you are more familiar to the locals living in the district it is simply E-bis. The Y is always silent as the original name contains a Kana character no longer used in the modern Japanese language. Yebisu Premium is brewed in the Tokyo district of the same name by Sapporo Brewery and is considered on of the companies premium beers. A 100% Malt Beer originally developed as a German style but I think that name is really where the similarity stops.

Colour is golden straw and always with a creamy head. On the nose some toasted malts and mild citrus hops that translate to the palate. The the flavours of malted barley are clear and present yet holds clear clean crispness in the mouth and no saturated sweetness. Finish is dry and carbonated. Any time I am in Japan I head straight out to grab a few of these. As you can see from the image above, when on the slopes of Japan a couple of six packs get stored on the outer window sill for a groovy chill. Goes well with food as much as on it's own anytime.

Misato Katsuragi and Yebisu Prmium

For those Anime fans in the club and more particularly those with a love of Neon Genesis Evangelion will know the lovely character of Misato Katsuragi had a very in depth affair with Yebisu Premium often sighted as starting a morning breakfast with a cold can.

It is worth a note here to actually outline a little more just what I was doing in Japan. In short snowboarding in Hokkiado, Japan at the Niseko ski fields. It was awesome as always but what makes it even better is grabbing a cold brew at every food stop across the united mountain. I was in heaven I tell you. The first night we arrived at 11:50pm I ducked down to the local Lawson food store and grabbed some brews to put out the window to chill in the -12º air. Gaurentted though every lunch on the mountain was meet with a hearty meal of noodles or curry pork rice and 500ml Sapporo Draft in a cold glass.

Just the day to day grind on the Niseko ski slopes.

So if you want to get into Japanese beer a little more, want to try the real deal but can't get to Japan, you will find most Japanese restaurants will stock genuine Japanese beer. Otherwise try buying from an Australian online importer such as Asian Beer Online. Asian Beer Online do not stock any of the beers named above but you will still get some good quality Japanese beer delivered to your door.

The Baron

In And Out - Buying Whisky Duty Free In Japan

A few cheeky purchases in Japan.

NOTE: This is an old post from 2014 and considerable things have changed in the Japanese whisky market. Take note of  all dates posts are made in reference to your current purchasing considerations.

Buying whisky duty free, or travel retail as it is now called, can be a daunting experience. Do you buy before you depart and pick up on the way back through customs (the big push I found at Sydney Duty Free), or take the chance and buy while overseas hoping for chance to nab something exclusive or hard to get? I had a chance to weigh up the options with a recent snowboarding trip to Japan. Yes it was awesome! According to Australian customs I could carry 2.25L of alcohol back with me, opened or unopened, so I had to think right. I love Japanese whisky so I knew that the Nippon pleasure centred had to be fulfilled.

1L od Laphroaig Quarter Cask chilling in the snow out from my window.

First up a quick look at buying on the way out of Australia. Purchasing in the Sydney International Airport before departure can get you some really good bargains on those everyday whiskies you love coming in at around $20 cheaper than regular shelf price and the bonus of many in a 1L bottle. What you also see is some exclusives or pre-releases but they can be few and far between. This time round though for me there was nothing out of the ordinary that took my fancy but… considering I was going to the ski slopes of Niseko on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, averaging -12º on a normal day I nabbed a 1L bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask to set the blood warming for the 7 days of hard core snow boarding. Believe me it just lasted the week.

Regretfully though I now know even though I paid $84 AU for the Laphroaig, I royally ripped myself off as the price of alcohol in Japan has plummeted since the last time I was there (about 6 years ago). This is especially true of whisky and even more so for Japanese whisky. Everyday whiskies we see here in Aus easily fit into the 30% cheaper category of normal shelf prices while some I calculated up to 70% just at your local 7/11. Examples of the extreme price difference would be Jack Daniels Old No.7 for $15, Wild Turkey $15, Bacardi $10, Glenfiddich 12yo $33, Glenfiddich 15yo $52, Glenfiddich 18yo $67. Japanese whisky on the other hand was insanely priced in comparison to Aus. Examples are Suntory Hibiki 12yo $64, Nikka Taketsuru 12yo Pure Malt $30, Suntory Yamazaki 21yo $134. Now keep in mind these prices are standard shelf prices with tax on Japanese shelves. So why did I feel ripped for my Laphroaig Quarter Cask purchase? Not because of price but because I could have bought awesome Japanese whisky for the weeks consumption instead. I did enjoy the Quarter Cask though no question but then I always do.

Some regular shelf pricing from one of the local stores in Japan.

 In the Niseko village, where I was staying for the week, they had many stores hosting a fine selection of both local and foreign whiskies but my focus of course was on Japanese. I was lucky to score an amazing purchase of a bottle of Suntory Hibiki Mellow Harmony for an insane price just at the local Aussie wine merchant or all places. They had a great selection of other whiskies but alas I could only grab one bottle in anticipation of what I could grab on the way back. None-the-less this bottle of Mellow Harmony was a very special limited release of only 4000 bottles. I had to smack myself a few times when I realised 6 bottles of it was in front of me. Released November 2013 within a month it was already impossible to find. Wow!

A collection of duty free pricing at Narita Airport

So moving on as you can see we have not even gotten to the duty free purchases coming back to Aus from Narita Airport. My experience first and foremost was that Narita had a poor selection of whiskies to buy duty free if your not interested in Japanese whisky. There was the most limited selections on take for single malts from all over the world and I think Australia's Sydney duty free does a far better job with the price difference is marginal. In many cases I actually saw Scotch Single Malts cheaper on the store shelves at a 7/11 in Japan than I did in duty free (how does that work?). So if your in the market travel duty free whiskies coming from Japan and want Scotch, put your faith in the Aus duty free store. On the other hand if your crazy for all things Nippon then Japan is a country that clearly wants to support and push its whisky brands (unlike Australia) with the prices reflecting that clearly. Pricing for Japanese whisky in Narita duty free as an example: Suntory Hibiki 12yo $37AU, Suntory Hibiki 17yo $70AU, Suntory Hakushu Single Malt $32AU, Suntory Hibiki 21yo $161AU, Nikka Taketsuru 12yo Pure Malt $22AU. Madness I tell you MADDNESS! And I loved every moment of it.

So what did I buy? Well if the picture does not say enough I purchased up to my allowed customs quota as follows:

Leaving Australia -
Laphroaig Quater Cask 1L @ $84AU, Sydney Duty Free

Leaving Japan -
Suntory Hibiki Mellow Harmony (4000 bottle limited release) @ $130AU Niseko Village
Suntory Hibiki 12yo 700ml @ $37AU, Narita AIrport Duty Free
Nikka Pure Malt 12yo 700ml @ $22AU, Narita Airport Duty Free

The end result is a very happy traveller picking up things I wanted and ridiculously cheap prices. I certainly know what I will be doing on my next scheduled trip to Japan at the end of the year and it won't be buying whisky on the way out of Australia.

Until next time ja mata ne!

The Baron