Now, it's finally time for the long-awaited tasting!
They held a special seminar for us.
Before us, three types of unblended whisky and Chita are set up.
Nomura-san's explanations, given carefully one by one, are important.
However, with the sparkling liquid in the glass right in front of my eyes,
I want to drink it... I want to drink it.
As I suppressed that urge and looked around, I saw some people couldn't wait and were already tasting.
I'm an adult, so I'll be patient!
On the screen projected in front of us was
Mr. Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory's Chief Blender!
What a luxurious treat! It seems the tasting will proceed with Mr. Fukuyo's commentary!
The three types of Chita unblended whisky for tasting were Clean, Heavy, and Wine Cask.
First, the Clean unblended whisky, neat.
The color was a slightly diluted jasmine tea color.
It had a sweet aroma.
Upon tasting, although the alcohol content was high,
I first felt a sweetness, and finally a vanilla-like flavor.
Then, I added water.
This is called "twice up," where mineral water is added in a 1:1 ratio to the unblended whisky.
Then, the aroma became soft and sweet, and the taste was crisp, with a hint of sweetness at the end.
Next, the Heavy unblended whisky, neat.
The color was slightly lighter than the Clean unblended whisky.
It had a strong aroma where alcohol came first.
The taste also gave a strong, stimulating impression.
However, when water was added, it had a savory aroma, and
I felt a gentle sweetness when it was in my mouth.
Next, the Wine Cask unblended whisky, neat.
The color was a deep reddish hue.
Unlike the other two, this one had a fruity aroma but also a somewhat complex one.
The taste also felt rich and heavy, but it was by no means difficult to drink.
When water was added, the fruity aroma flowed even more from the glass,
and the taste was reminiscent of fruit.
This was my favorite of the unblended whiskies.
Finally, Chita neat.
The color was a beautiful golden hue. It had a refreshing and subtle aroma, with a hint of cask.
Upon tasting, it had no peculiarities and was smooth, with a pleasant sweetness, making it easy to drink.
When water was added, the aroma opened up significantly more than when neat,
and I perceived various nuances within its easy-to-drink nature.
I'm commenting rather grandiosely, but these are just my personal impressions due to lack of knowledge and experience, so I apologize if I'm wrong.
This Chita. The most recommended way to drink it is a highball!
Suntory's recommended golden ratio is 1:3.
It's refreshing and smooth, without any peculiar taste, so even those who don't usually like whiskey might enjoy it easily.
And above all, it pairs perfectly with Japanese food.
It seems to go well with tempura, dashimaki tamago, nikujaga, and other dishes.
Oh, before I knew it, I had finished my second refill.
Our president and managing director said it would be interesting to pair this with Wasanbon sugar.
Wasanbon?
When most of our staff had a "what's that?" look on their faces, the president explained.
Wasanbon seems to be a type of sugar confectionary used in tea ceremonies.
Still, a few people weren't convinced.
"I don't know because I've never eaten it."
I knew you'd say that! Are you kids?!
But our president is kind.
He said he'd let us try it next time! Yay!
This is not the end for us yet.
While getting a refill, I asked for a stronger Chita highball.
This is delicious!
For a richer Chita experience, we recommend a stronger mix.
Thank you, Suntory-san, for kindly making it for us.
This single grain whisky "Chita" embodies various particularities.
One of them is the bottle.
To enhance the beautiful golden color of Chita whisky, a transparent bottle was intentionally chosen.
And another thing is that
the cap seal is dark indigo, with a design that evokes the image of wind.
And finally, the label, of course.
The kanji for "Chita" is written by Tanseki Ogino, and the sweeping stroke of "多" is said to evoke the wind of the Chita Peninsula.
Look at this stroke!
Don't you feel the wind of the Chita Peninsula?
It's a whisky with a light, wind-like taste, and a pleasant, gentle aroma and sweetness.
If you're even a little interested,
you should try it once!!
You might get quite hooked.
Finally, I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate in this training.
I was able to learn about the appeal of Chita products and also felt the depth of grain whisky.
For me, whiskey always had the image of being expensive, to be enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
If you have the same impression as me, please cast it aside!
It can be enjoyed casually as a drink with meals, and while the price may seem high, once you know about the manufacturing methods and quality control during the aging process until the product reaches the store shelves, you'll feel that the price is justified.
This training has given me a different perspective on Suntory's many products, and I feel I can enjoy them in new ways.
I will strive to share this valuable experience with all our customers who visit Sumidaya.
Thank you for joining me through the first and second parts.
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