Sakhrani Whisky Sakura Cask Finish Review:'Japanese cherry blossom season in liquid form'

Japan is renowned for its video games, anime, and the infamous cherry blossoms. The latter is echoed in the Sakhrani Whisky Sakura Cherry Wood Finish whisky. What makes this whisky unique from others, you'll find in this whisky review.

Situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan, the 'water of life' is being distilled. In Okinawa, the Sakhrani distillery produces not just any whisky, but a whisky with a vision.

This vision is inspired by the region's longevity, where people often live for more than 100 years. Sabrina Sakhrani and Ayako Ikehara use their distilling knowledge, dating back more than 70 years.

They employ this knowledge not just to distill any whisky, but they blend traditional distilling methods with modern techniques. This practice is aimed to bottle the best of both worlds.

High-quality ingredients – such as pure water from a sacred mountain – are used to produce a unique whisky and confer a soft character to the Japanese whisky. With the use of varying casks, different renditions of the soft Japanese whisky are created.

Thus far, three editions of the Sakhrani whisky have been released: the Mizunara whisky, the Kuri-chestnut wood Finish, and the Sakura Cherry Wood Finish. And more Sakhrani news is coming soon.

Each whisky comes from different casks of different wood. For instance, the Sakura Wood Finish is from Japanese cherry tree barrels. How does that taste?

Just like the Mizunara Cask Finish whisky we previously examined, the Sakhrani Sakura whisky is bottled in a ribbed bottle. It is beautiful to observe how the first three whiskies from this distillery deviate from other bottles.

The bottle is stylish and deserves to be seen in someone's whisky cabinet. The glass stopper, in particular, stands out as a luxury feature. The whisky bottle is also furnished with a beautifully designed label. This highlights the sustainable nature of the distillery as the label is completely made from recycled paper.

The label, by the way, is slightly different from the one used for the Mizunara Cask whisky. The name of the whisky and the distillery logo are subtly rendered in red. Thus, you can quickly identify which Sakhrani edition it is at a glance.

As soon as you pour the Sakura whisky from Sakhrani into your glass, you can tell it is a creamy drink. Quite thick tears form that slowly roll back into the glass.

In the meantime, sweet aromas rise from the glass. Initially, that is primarily a powerful floral scent of blossoming cherry blossoms. Later, this scent is complemented by a light tone of warm wood, hints of caramel, and something reminiscent of sweet cherry pits.

Also, a light yet enticing grassy note is present in the glass. All in all, this is an aroma that perfectly suits a summer's day: soft, smooth, and enticing.

Although the scent of the Cherry Wood finish whisky is pretty straightforward and not too complex, the flavour of the whisky is incredibly surprising. Following its summer-like scent, the whisky unfurls a complex bouquet of flavors across your tongue.

Close your eyes and imagine how the Japanese cherry blossom season would taste in liquid form; it might just be this whisky you think of. Initially, there is a creamy layer present that solely carries the taste of airy vanilla pudding. This rapidly changes as there's an explosion of flavors that pass by.

Think of blooming blossoms, cherries, cinnamon, a hint of heather honey, and notes of wood. Also, a light touch of melted milk chocolate can be discovered if you hold the whisky in your mouth for a moment.

Towards the medium-long finish, the creamy character disappears to leave a somewhat dry mouthfeel. Hereby, the sweeter notes disappear, leaving the wood and the floral taste behind.

Where Sakhrani already surprised with the Mizunara Wood finish whisky, the distillery does so again with the Sakura edition. Lovers of floral whiskys will regularly savor this bottle, even as the mercury rises. The whisky isn't deeply intricate on the nose but compensates for it with complexity on the tongue.

+ Floral and smooth

+ Surprising profile on the palate

+ Stylish bottle that deserves to be seen

- The dry finish isn't for everyone

The bottles are available in the Netherlands and Belgium via ExclusiveWhiskyBottles.

Want to taste it first? Among others, Sakhrani whisky is on the menu at BarEthnic in Brussels.