| Whiskey | Sensei Japanese Whisky Finished in Mizunara Barrels |
| Distillery | No Defined Distillery |
| Region | Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan |
| Type | Japanese Whisky |
| Mash Bill | 100% Malted Barley |
| Proof / ABV | 80 Proof / 40% ABV |
| Aging | 3-5 Years |
| Filtration | Chill Filtered |
| MSRP Price | $40 |
Sensei Japanese Whisky Tasting Notes
Appearance: Light Hay
Nose: Ethanol, malt, honey (Hardly getting anything else)
Palate: Funky honey, light fruit, wood spice, sandalwood
Finish: Rough finish with a bit of wood tannic spice – leaves you with some fruit, caramel, and a touch of pepper on the palate
Is Sensei Japanese Whisky an Approachable Whiskey?
Sensei Japanese Whisky is one of the least approachable whiskies I have tasted or reviewed.
Granted, it’s not an expensive bottle but at $40 there are infinitely better choices than this one.
Since it is a Japanese whisky, we don’t have a ton of options here in America…
But instead of beating around the bush, here are a few that I know are pretty common:
- Suntory Toki ($40)
- Fuyu Japanese Whisky ($45)
- Hatozaki ($50)
Is Sensei Japanese Whisky Complex?
I was very excited to try this whisky when I saw it on my local liquor stores shelf.
I have been a huge fan of Mizunara Barrel Finished Japanese whisky ever since I tasted the Dewar’s 21 Year Mizunara Finish.
I haven’t reviewed this bottle yet, but it is an absolutely exceptional pour.
Since I tasted it, any time I see something finished in Mizunara barrels I get excited to taste it.
Mizunara trees take 200-300 years to mature before they’re ready for coopering so it’s quite a rarity in the whisky space (among other challenges).
With that being said, I’m going to do my best to not include this bottle of Sensei whisky in my catalog of Mizunara finished whiskeys.
I has very little complexity to it and honestly reminds me more of smelling a bottle of pure ethanol than a refined whisky.
What are Sensei Japanese Whisky’s strongest attributes/flavors?
This whisky honestly does not have a strongest attribute.
It’s only the second bottle that I would not recommend to anyone (the other being Rogue Dead Guy’s Whiskey).
Is Sensei Japanese Whisky a go-to whiskey?
Absolutely not.
It’s funny as I’m writing this review how few of these questions apply to a whisky of this quality.
I would not want to drink another pour of this whisky aside from what is needed to complete this review.
Is Sensei Japanese Whisky priced accurately to its quality?
I’m shocked that this whisky is priced at $40.
I understand that an international whisky has costs associated with it, but I feel like this bottle is just a marketing gimmick to make money over here in the US and whatever other markets it is available in.
I’d gladly take a bottle of Paddy’s Irish Whisky for $20 over this.
Conclusion for Sensei Japanese Whisky Finished in Mizunara Barrels
This is one of the worst whiskeys I have tasted (and I’ve tasted over 400 bottles).
It’s rare for me to write a review that bashes a whisky so hard, but I feel like it’s my responsibility to save my readers their hard earned cash.
That is why I am not sugar-coating this review at all.
I’m not sure if I got a bad bottle or if the entire Sensei whisky line is like this, but it is a serious disappointment for me.
I knew when I saw this bottle on the shelf that it was a gamble since the label seemed quite gimmicky, but was eager to taste more Mizunara barrel finished whisky that I took the leap.
Boy was that a bad idea.
If you are considering purchasing this bottle, I would recommend purchasing the following bottles instead:
- Paddy’s Irish Whisky ($20)
- Suntory Toki ($35)
- Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond ($20)
- Old Forester 86 Proof ($20)
- JTS Brown ($20)
Suntory Toki is the clear choice if you’re interested in Japanese Whisky at a low price.
Otherwise, just stick with American Bourbon which offers excellent flavors for a budget whiskey.
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