Light gold color. Aromas and flavors of orchard fruit and white cherries, ginger, strawberry and lemon zest, and orange blossom honey with a satiny, crisp, dry medium body and a peppery, interesting, medium-length finish with suggestions of baked apple, ginger and lemon zest, cherry blossoms, and candied black pepper. Beautiful nose that draws you in with layers of floral and fruity flavors despite the slightly elevated ABV; dare to say this is designed to make a killer High Ball?
3+ The Whiskey Wash
Suntory Toki’s popularity as an introductory Japanese whisky for international consumers makes a ton of sense. The low proof makes the crisp, well integrated flavors very accessible. The analogy to Johnny Walker is almost too obvious (though of course the range of expressions within this blend is not so wide). This pour is not quite on the same level as your favorite single malts, but that’s not what this is about. Its role is to be accessible both on the market and to the palate. 3.5 STARS
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A decent sipper, this bottle is likely deliberately designed to make an excellent highball. I tried out a very simple iteration with lemon-flavored seltzer with a lemon twist and found it an incredibly refreshing porch beverage during the recent heatwave. Next time I’ll be adding ginger. Those of you with better imaginations and cocktail chops than me will enjoy this blend’s broadly compatible flavor profile.