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White
750ml
Bottle: $97.56 $108.40
Brilliant all the way, the 2020 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is a white readers should snatch up. All Marsanne...
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JD
96
DC
95
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Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $148.50 $199.94
Prunes, forest honey, vanilla seeds, dark chocolate cookies, and Brazil nut, with hints of chocolate orange and...
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WKY
94
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $159.53
A breathtaking and expansive bouquet of mirabelle tart with a wide spectrum of candied citrus aromas, fresh almonds,...
JS
99
WS
98
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $403.72
Another perfect wine in the lineup is the 2020 Ermitage L'Ermite Blanc, and white wine simply doesn’t get any...
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100
WA
98
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $181.69
I was blown away by the 2020 Ermitage Le Méal Blanc, which is certainly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve...
JD
100
JS
98
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $62.95
Brilliant all the way, the 2020 Hermitage Chante-Alouette Blanc is a white readers should snatch up. All Marsanne...
JD
96
DC
95
Case only
Long-term Pre-Arrival
White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $85.97
Quite possibly the finest white in the appellation, the 2020 Saint Joseph Les Granits Blanc is all Marsanne from what...
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97
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94
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White
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $112.95
The classic 2020 Hermitage Blanc from Sorrel is 100% Marsanne aged 18 months in barrel. It reveals a light gold hue...
WA
95
JD
95

Japanese Whiskey Marsanne Mencia 2020

Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.

The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.

Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.

While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.