Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/674905
102 / the tasting panel /may 2016 CATEGORY REPORT BALANCE AND HARMONY: KIKORI WHISKEY With demand exceeding supply for Japanese whisk(e)y, Kikori, a new entry to the category in the U.S., is being met with enthusiasm. Kikori (SRP $50) hails from Japan's southern- most island, Kyushu, where the Kumamoto prefecture is well known both for its epony- mous oysters and as the birthplace of distilled rice spirits (shochu in Japan). Set among ancient cypress trees and the pristine, balanced waters of the Iware River and scenic Sekinoos Falls, the Kikori distillery uses polished Higo rice that, as in saké, fermented with white koji and yeast for the basis of its mash. Pressure distillation in a stainless steel column still insures a lighter, unpeated-style profile that is reminiscent of an Irish whisk(e)y or the maritime style found on the northeastern shore of Scotland. "There's a humble, natural beauty about this distillery set in the midst of rice paddies and cypress groves with the peaks of Mt. Azo rising in the distance," says Kikori founder Ann Soh Woods. The brainchild of Los Angeles–based Soh Woods, Kikori is distilled and bottled at 41% versus the 25% to 30% ABV seen in more traditional Japanese rice spirits. It ages for three to ten years in 80% American oak, 10% Limousin French and Sherry casks for a delicate, versatile style with aromas of polished rice and vanilla that delivers a subtle attack on the finish. Soh Woods collaborated with one of the island's oldest artisanal distilleries to craft a spirit she describes as having "a flavor profile that I personally enjoy drinking and is ideal in cocktails." Kikori combines a 500-year-old tradition with the 20th-century history of Japanese whiskey for a versatile, umami-friendly modern rice spirit that is classified as a whiskey in the United States. "In creating Kikori, I was inspired by the serenity of the woodlands in Kumamoto and by the lessons of balance and harmony found in Japanese folklore." Incorporated in to Kikori's label design, you'll find one such folktale about the woods- man Visu, a Japanese Rip Van Winkle, who was lost in the forest for centuries pursuing the balance he could not attain during his lifetime. To emphasize the importance of balance in life, work and play, Soh Woods has inscribed Visu's tale in Kanji characters on the inside of the back label. —Deborah Parker Wong PHOTO: LYNN FYFFE