Suntory Ao vs Nikka Session | World Whisky Day Review Special!

[@zecold]

I absolutely love the post-production you do on your videos, they're fun, well documented, very interesting to watch. Great job Mac! I'd really love to add the Session on my Nikka shelf... but it's nowhere to be found here in France :(

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thanks so much Christophe. Comments like this make the insane amount of time it takes to do all that post-production worth it! I hope you appreciated my comment right at the end, directly addressing Nikka and telling them to get this whisky is the hands of overseas fans like you! Thanks always for watching and your continuous support. It is truly appreciated.

[@zecold]

@@KanpaiPlanet I did and I hope they'll see it!

[@saphanapatterson934]

Great video. Love the added animations! And Kanpai on World Whiskey Day 🍻

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Kanpai! Thanks for appreciating the insane amount of work it takes to make a whisky tasting video entertaining! :-)

[@weihong0220]

Nice video, love ur review on both whisky.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you very much! Please subscribe for more, and share with all your friends!

[@АндрейУстьянцев-ы7е]

Thanks for unique content!❤

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank YOU for watching and commenting!

[@TheCultureCave]

This one sounds good. Also love the blue label. Might have to check this one out. White pepper too 😮 What a varied palette you have!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Cheers! Nikka Session is readily available in convenience stores too!

[@polystyleneman]

Can't wait until I can get back to Japan and check these out for myself and try your recommendations.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you! There'll be more and more on this channel by the time you get here!

[@Hingspiration]

How would the Session compare to Nikka from the Barrel since both have Yoichi, Miyagikyo and Ben Nevis as part of the blend?

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thanks for your great question. I'll be addressing that in another video. The short answer is that, philosophically, they are very different whiskies but they are both great.

[@lunaarran6965]

Love to learn about Japanese whisky! thanks for the fun review reminding us of oh so many fruits! Will try to keep an eye open for those. Who knows they might make it to Europe!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

The fruits or the whisky? 🤓 Ao is now available in travel retail in major markets around the world, so when we can travel again there's a chance to pick it up. Thanks for watching and commenting! Please share these videos with all your friends - I'd truly appreciate it!

[@apostolosfilippos]

If you can find an old bottle of Taketsuru give it a try !

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Reviewed here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH-0qqSqm6d0qdE 🥃

[@sedagive5371]

Great review. I am looking forward to a US distribution for these 2 bottles. I only have 1 Japanese whisky, Hibiki Harmony, a very nice bottle for my palate. Hopefully we'll see some rice whisky reviews in the future. Thanks and cheers Mac.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Hibiki is a lovely dram! I'm planning to tackle some rice whiskies soon. Any specific brands you'd like me to take a look at? Please subscribe for more, and tell all your friends to do the same! 🙏

[@sedagive5371]

@@KanpaiPlanet I've only had a Southern California (San Diego Distillery) produced cask strength rice whisky, which I enjoyed very much. In a Whiskey Dictionary review/tour of the SD distillery, Fukano and Ohishi were mentioned as an inspiration. I am also aware of Kirkori as well. Any rice whisky review will be appreciated. I am just interested in expanding my knowledge and palate. Thanks again.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thanks for the colour. I'll see what I can do! ✌

[@budj13]

This sounds very interesting and the Nikka Sessions sounds worthy of trying. However, I'm not finding it available in the US based on a web search just not. The only source was over $200 USD. So, I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for the education, Mac.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Currently Nikka Session is a Japan only release. Post-pandemic, they may well start shipping it overseas.

[@theteacrane]

Nice bar you found for the background!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Aloha Whisky Bar is indeed fantastic!

[@TheWhiskeyNerd]

very interesting! I wonder if some of the whiskeys which don't make the standard (*cough* Nikka From the Barrel) will soon be marketed as World whiskeys in the future...

[@KanpaiPlanet]

It will be interesting to see. Watch my video about the regulations. In some ways, NFTB has not tried to pretend to be Japanese Whisky. They could have been more forthright about what was in it though.

[@Canman99]

@@KanpaiPlanet I like NFTB though!

[@etronikslux6955]

Awesome review! Love your work! I think I saw Session for around 3400 yen at Costco. I am going back there for a bottle! Any plan for reviewing bottles from smaller Japanese distilleries?

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you very much for your kind words. That is a great price for Session so I highly recommend picking it up. As for reviews from smaller distilleries, that is absolutely in the works. If I were able to, I would review every bottle from every distillery in Japan! Please subscribe for more and encourage all your friends to do the same :-)

[@etronikslux6955]

@@KanpaiPlanet Already subscribed and told some of my friends to watch your clips, especially the Taketsuru one as I have just started watching Massan the drama!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you so much for your support! It is truly appreciated!

[@QuickQuips]

Might go to Narita on a connecting flight. Will try to grab both.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Kanpai! They'll possibly have some Hibiki Master's Select too! Thanks for watching and commenting! Please subscribe for more!

[@Popsiclestick27]

Can't wait for COVID to normalize and I can get a chance to go to the Aloha Whisky bar.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Glad to hear it!

[@aryfrenkiel8641]

£59 at Gatwick DF. for £22 less i can pick up a bottle of Legent. Impossible to find any decent bourbon in Gib-and if u do , it ain’t cheap. ta for your reviews.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Legent for the win! Thanks for watching and commenting. Please subscribe for more, and share these videos with all your friends! That would really help me grow the channel. Thank you!

[@tunwin5305]

Would you do a review of Yamasaki 25?

[@KanpaiPlanet]

It's in the long pipeline!

[@tunwin5305]

@@KanpaiPlanet haha I’ll be waiting!

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you! In the meantime, please share these videos with all your friends!

[@davidspringall1955]

Very interesting, thank you.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you checked out some of the other content on the channel too! Thanks for watching!

[@carlmartinlinder]

Nice comparison Mac. I will take Nikka Session anytime before Ao and I wont look back. I wonder, did you miss Laphroaig distillery as one of the selections for Suntory (or did you leave it out because of the peat?)

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thanks Martin. As far as I know, there is no Laphroaig in Ao. So Fukuyo-san chose not to use anything from that distillery amongst his many choices!

[@carlmartinlinder]

@@KanpaiPlanet you know better than me. Have a nice weekend

[@Pew7070]

Excellent production on this one! Also informative and entertaining! 5 out of 5 ⭐️ !

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank YOU for watching! Please share it with all your drinks-loving friends!

[@pavithrakothalawala9369]

Great sharing 😍

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thank you! Please subscribe for more, and check out our other videos!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

Great video, Mac, and indeed, we don't get those here in France. Happy World Whisky Day, by the way ! 🥃 I have to say World Blended whisky fascinates me & I did myself several home blends trials on my side, since 2006 in fact...I now have enough different whiskies from many countries (around 13) to work on a new one...Besides, love your editing there, so you have a wide path now before you to grow as a channel I think, Kanpaï !

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Thanks always Greg. I would love to try some of your world blends one day! I bet they are amazing. By the way, I am super excited about your future projects and wish you all the best from Tokyo!

[@GregsWhiskyGuide]

@@KanpaiPlanet Thanks, my friend ! I hope when all this c.word stuff will be over, we'll share a dram of them & other whiskies from all over the world 🙏

[@marcusgreen9466]

Just bought a bottle of Ao for 2600 yen. Definitely worth it for the price, but I'm looking to try Session now. Ao just doesn't excite me. It's probably not good that I tried Ao after drinking bourbon (Bulleit). Lesson learned.

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Hi Marcus. That's a good price for a 700ml bottle of Ao! Glad we agree on Ao, not bad, but not as exciting as the concept could have made it. As for drinking Ao after Bourbon, that's not such a bad progression. Perhaps try it first next time. Final tip: I think Ao is a better highball whisky than straight up. Thanks for watching and commenting. Please check out some of the other videos on the channel and subscribe for more!

[@iowafishguy9791]

Saw these in the duty free in Japan now I feel more educated about my next purchase

[@KanpaiPlanet]

KANPAI 🥃🥃🥃

[@コルネホアルマンド]

I like both 🤩🤩

[@KanpaiPlanet]

Glad to hear it my friend!

[@JimmyLeg]

A lot of Springbank Local Barley behind you, I hope that's not being used for mixing. :-(

[@KanpaiPlanet]

I don't think anything is used for mixing at Aloha Whisky Bar! 🤓🥃