Drums is the strongest of the three 2006 Jazz Instrumental casks, bottled at 55.7%. The spirit was made in Kentucky, spent six years in American warehouses and then over six more at Chichibu in Saitama before bottling in August 2018. Only 103 bottles came from cask 1675.
About This Whisky
Cask 1675 was filled in Kentucky in 2006, moved to Chichibu in February 2012 and emptied in August 2018. That is around twelve years of ageing, half of it in Japan. It came out at 55.7% and gave 103 bottles, the smallest outturn of the 2006 Jazz trio.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Vanilla and charred oak up front, with lemon zest, a little spice and a faint whiff of char.
- Palate: Bold and dry, carrying caramel and sweet grain into black pepper and heavy, cask-driven wood.
- Finish: Warm and spicy, ending on oak, pepper and a touch of citrus sweetness.
Serving & Food
This one wants water. Start neat in a nosing glass at around 20°C, then add a splash and let it settle. Serve with a spicy dan dan noodle dish, barbecued ribs or a sticky toffee pudding.
How to Enjoy
Fans of big, high-strength American whiskey, and anyone putting the Jazz Instrumental casks side by side.
Product Details
Brand/Series: Ken's Choice Jazz Instrumental, Drums
Producer: Distilled in Kentucky, USA; second maturation and bottling at Chichibu
Vintage: 2006
Cask Number: #1675
Maturation: Kentucky 2006 to 2012; Chichibu February 2012 to August 2018
Outturn: 103 bottles
Category: American Whiskey, second-matured in Japan
ABV: 55.7%
Volume: 700mL
Origin: USA (distilled) / Japan (matured and bottled)
Region: Kentucky / Saitama
About the Distillery
The barrels behind the Ken's Choice label reached Chichibu from 2012 onwards and have been released one by one. Ken's Choice was the bottling name of Ken's Bar in Tokyo, and bottlings from these casks were appearing by 2016, with the three 2006 Jazz casks following in 2018. Retailers generally point to Wild Turkey as the distiller, but the label does not say.
The host distillery was opened in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto, whose grandfather founded Hanyu. Chichibu is still small, with one wash still and one spirit still, and it makes and repairs its own casks on site.