We won't lie. This was a fun one for us! It's not every day you get to taste a 6-year-old Kentucky bourbon that is finished in Mizunara Oak Shochu barrels. We're going to break that down in just a second. There's a lot to unwrap here.
The World Whiskey Society (WWS) has only been around since 2020, but they are creating a huge footprint in the whiskey world with their extremely unique and innovative products. First of all, you can't help but notice their exquisite packaging. If ever there was a "cool bottle" story, it resonates with the offerings from WWS. The labels are sophisticated and appealing. The unique bottle toppers are secretly sought after by collectors. So what about what is in this bottle? Let's take a look.
So what is Mizunara Oak and what in the heck is Shochu? Mizunara oak, or Japanese oak, is incredibly expensive and rare. It grows in distinct pockets in northern Japan and it is very difficult to work with. We should mention that you also have to be patient, as it can take between 200 - 400+ years for the Mizunara tree to mature so it can be used for barrels. Let that little fact sink in! And what about the Shochu? Shochu is a distilled spirit from Japan that is commonly made from rice, buckwheat, brown sugar, barley, sweet potatoes, carrots, chestnut, sesame seeds or potatoes (or any combination of these).
When WWS society set out to offer this finished bourbon, they thought the entire process through and kudos to their marketing folks. Obviously we're going Japanese-themed here, right down to the Samurai bottle stopper.
Auburn and medium brown in the bottle, aromas of dried Asian cooking spices, floral incense, toasted nuts and sweet oak are dominant. Tasted neat, we went back and forth on what each of us tasted - sweet chilis, coconut, light oak, toasted bread, hard maple candy, cinnamon stick, vanilla cream, molasses and mixed berry compote. Like we said previously, there's a lot going on here. We argued back and forth (in fun) a bit about who was right. But, at the end of the day, you have to just accept that this is a delicious bottle.
The brown water in this bottle was sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% malted barley. At 108 proof this is in a great spot with the age statement and extra finishing. If you're a finished bourbon fan or have always been curious about Mizunara Oak finished whiskey, you need to check this out!
ABV: 54.0% (108 proof)
Distillery: Bardstown Bourbon Company
Suggested retail price: $124.00
Drink The Bottles score: 94/100
