Kamiki Cedar Cask Finished Japanese Whisky Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C+

February 2021 saw the first-ever major reform in Japanese Whisky law, which was rather notorious in world whisky circles for having essentially no laws. When it came to Japanese Whisky, one could count on the two giants of Suntory and Nikka doing things in keeping with international standards, out of respect for tradition and protecting their reputations. However, as for the rest of the industry… it was not uncommon for a producer in Japan to include spirits no outside of Japan or India would call “whisky,” or to use imported whisky for blending and still refer to the entire package as Japanese.

Kamiki Whisky from Yoshino Spirits is a better example of this kind of thing, because they aren’t using not-whisky spirits and are frank about their foreign sourcing. A blended whisky, Kamiki draws on Japanese-made malt whiskies and imported grain whisky, given a finish in Japanese cedar casks, and bottled at 96 proof. The new regulations will take effect on April 1st, and it is unclear whether Kamiki — only started in 2020 — will continue to be produced in its present form after that.

The Whisky
Kamiki has a light copper look in the glass. The scent smacks of straw, with light notes of cookie dough and sandalwood. The flavor rolls forward on a spicy foundation of sandalwood and allspice, accented by sweet tobacco leaf and honey. The sandalwood note fades so fast on the finish that it can scarcely be said to be there.

Although not a bad pour by any means, there just isn’t much to Kamiki. It’s easy whisky with a somewhat spicy character, and people expecting a high end or exotic experience from picking up a bottle of Japanese whisky will walk away thoroughly disappointed. In no way is this worth the price tag attached to the bottle (see below).

The Price
The recommended price for this item is $89.99, and that for a mere 50 cl bottle.