Wakatsuru Saburomaru Moon Glow 10 Years Old

Moon Glow is a 10 Years Old blend from Wakatsuru Shuzo, the Toyama-based house behind Saburomaru distillery. Wakatsuru's history in whisky stretches back to 1952, and this release draws on that maturation experience for a blend aged a full decade in Ex-Bourbon oak, released for the Japanese market in 2018.

Ex-Bourbon casks deliver the expected vanilla and light caramel notes, and a decade of contact with the wood smooths and integrates the component spirits. The Saburomaru distillery's peat character is a typical part of the house portfolio, though a blend at 43% tends to show a softer, more approachable expression of it. Light smoke sits alongside dried fruit and vanilla, making Moon Glow a measured and approachable introduction to the Wakatsuru range.