Ootori is a Japanese blended whisky produced by Mercian Corporation, the owner of Karuizawa (malt) and Kawasaki (grain) distilleries. The bottle and its golden packaging are very similar to the (non-related) Hibiki blend.
Ootori 15 yo (40%, OB, 66 cl.)
Nose: malty and biscuity. Plenty of vanilla cake. Green banana. Coconut. Some hay. Sweet with big grain notes but also a volcanic / spicy / flinty hint of Karuizawa malt. Mouth: light, a bit strange, sweet and mineral, creamy and slightly harsh at the same time. Shows malty notes and some fruits (oranges and the light coconut / banana combo again). Finish: quite short with some vanilla and chocolate.
Certainly enjoyable, but at times the grain and malt components seem to fight each other rather than… well… blend. Interesting but too expensive for what it is. Around € 75.
Score: 80/100
This blog is my personal collection of impressions, written while searching for the ultimate single malt whisky.
