一場遊戲 A Game

 

環球美酒盡在 Sipping Malt 微醺之醉 www.sippingmalt.com

English version at page bottom

前文介紹過羽生 Hanyu 及其中的一款酒 “Nice Butt" , 說起羽生的威士忌, 現在已經成為了收藏品投資工具,羽生有兩個非常出名的瓶裝系列, 更是其中的表表者。第一個是啤牌(撲克牌)系列, 每款酒配一張啤牌, 一副啤牌有五十二隻, 還有兩隻小丑, 即是整個系列共五十四款酒。撇開價錢, 這系列的酒於數年間先後推出, 每款數量只有數百, 銷售渠道又有不同, 要集齊五十四款酒絕對非常困難, 尤其是最後的黑白小丑, 不是話有錢便買得到。當然, 所謂的困難只是視乎對貴的定義而言, 買東西不問價的, 一定買得到。羽生啤牌系列對我等草民來說, 實在是遙不可及的酒款。

羽生的另一個知名系列, 就是 Ichiro’s Malt 為日本信濃屋 Shinanoya 裝瓶的 Game 系列, 由二零零九年起, 每年推出一款, 現在已經出到第五款了。這系列之所以名為 Game, 是因酒標是以描繪不同的遊戲或競技的畫作為題。以收藏難度來看, 這系列很明顯比啤牌容易, 但亦非想像中那麼簡單, 尤其是首發的第一款"遊戲", 因為初初推出時炒風未至羽生, 很多的"遊戲"也被喝掉, 到數年後醒覺要"收臧", 才發現還流通市場的而渺渺無幾的了。

我現在要介紹的酒款, 正正就是收臧家眾類尋她千百度的首發遊戲, 俗稱的 Game One。翻查資料得知, Game One 是由 new American white oak 和 Bourbon 桶陳原酒調合, 應該不是單桶瓶裝。

Hanyu 羽生 2000/2009, Game One, 700 ml, 61.2%
Bottled for Shinanoya
No. of Bottle: 476

氣味: 蜜糖，紅蘋果，拖肥，奶茶，橙皮果醬
口味: 糖漿, 當心類中藥，黑茶，青檸皮，胡椒，刁草
餘蘊: 中等長度，乾柑皮，胡椒
結論: 前端有些酒精感, 頗甜, 全是點甜水果相關, 未後有奶和茶, 算是作平衡。 酒體有力, 中藥茶葉, 果皮香料, 以草本為主, 喜歡那清新的青檸皮, 口味帶點辛辣但不過火。中等長度的餘蘊, 以香料為主。很有趣的酒, 氣味充滿甜點的香氣, 但入口卻是不甜的草本, 酒體強勁帶點辛辣, 你可以說是不協調, 但喝起來又不覺有突兀感, 飲得過與正斗之間。

 

English Version of Tasting Note

A brief story to Hanyu distillery and one of its bottling have been introduced on previous article and mentioned that Hanyu’s whisky now becomes collectibles and investment vehicle. There are two famous Hanyu “collection" series. The first one is “Playing Card" series. There are total 54 bottlings to match 54 cards (including two Jokers). It is almost a mission impossible to collect the complete series. The money concern obviously is a big issue. The very limited released quantities and complicate sales channels also caused a barrier. The last bottlings, Black & White Joker is the most difficult target – anyone knows when and how was it released? One of the X-files in Whiksy history. However, the so-called “difficulty" is just depending on the definition of “expensiveness". Hanyu Cards series is indeed too remoteness to such ordinary people like me.

The another “Collection" series of Hanyu is the Games. The Games series is bottled by Ichiro Malt exclusively for Shinanoya. This series was firstly launched in 2009 and released one bottling each year. The current bottling for 2014 is the fifth release. The label of each release describes a specific game or contest that named The Games thereto. In the perspective of collectors, The Games is obviously an easier task comparing to The Cards but in fact The Games is by no mean a simple mission, especially for the first release. At the time being the first Game released in few years ago, Hanyu was not the target for collection and investment purposes and many of the bottles had been consumed. There are little left in the market when the collectors realized its value of “collection" thereafter.

The Hanyu whisky I now introduced is that long gone Game One, the first Game release. According to the information on the Internet, The Game One is blended with the whiskies aged in new American white oak and Bourbon barrel respectively. It is unlikely a single cask bottling.

Hanyu. 2000/2009, Game One, 700 ml, 61.2%
Bottled for Shinanoya
No. of Bottle: 476

Nose: Honey, red apple, toffee, milk tea (Hong Kong style), Orange Marmalade
Palate: Syrup, honey baked Chinese herb, black tea, lime peel, pepper, dill
Aftertaste: Medium length, dried mandarin peel, pepper
Conclusion: Slightly alcohol in front, quite sweet mixed candies and fruit, ended with milk tea for balancing. Powerful at palate, Chinese herb, tea and spicy, dominated by dried plant. very fresh lime peel, hot but not offensive. medium dry and spicy aftertaste. Interesting, sweet candy note but wood and herbal palate, powerful and hot. You can say that it is imbalance but no abrupt feeling while tasting, good whisky as concluded.