The Sakurao Distillery is one of Japan’s newer producers, but they have already been making a name for themselves with beautifully crafted single malts that exhibit a delicious array of well-balanced tasting notes just waiting to be explored. It brings light citrus, sweet oak, vanilla and gentle umami on the nose, before the palate arrives with poached pears, cinnamon spice and lingering black pepper. It’s another fine creation from a distillery that is well worth keeping an eye on.