Whisky Short Story 229: Secret Speyside 1995 23 Year Old "the Moon"

"Bar near the river" is located in Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City.

When masa opened the door, a familiar scene spread out before him at the counter. Shin, the bartender, and Madoka, a regular customer, were chatting happily while sipping wine.

"Oh, masa, did you see the moon today?"

Madoka turned around and called out to him.

"Yeah, I did. It's a full moon tonight, isn't it?"

masa replied as he sat down in an empty seat. On his way to the bar, the full moon peeking between the buildings was so beautiful that he had stopped to look up at it.

"Right? I finished work early today just because it's a full moon."

Madoka smiled happily. She usually only drinks wine, but she must be in a special mood tonight.

"A full moon, huh..."

masa looked out the window. The round moon was peeking through a gap between the buildings.

"Shin, do you have any whisky with a full moon theme?"

masa has been drinking Scotch for 30 years and has even passed the Level 2 Whisky Certification, but this question was meant half-jokingly.

However, Shin's eyes lit up as if he had been waiting for this.

"I do. And it's a bottle I've been saving just for tonight."

Shin took out a bottle he had never seen before from the back of the shelf. The label featured a silhouette of the moon.

"Secret Speyside 1995 23 Year Old 'the Moon'. It's a private bottling from Shinanoya."

"Shinanoya... the one in Tokyo?"

masa leaned forward. He knew the name Shinanoya. It is one of Japan's leading liquor stores, having won the Best Retailer category at the world-renowned Icons of Whisky competition four times.

"That's right. Their private bottlings aren't just any PB. Their expert buyers travel to Scotland every year to hand-select casks using their own senses. It's truly the work of an independent bottler."

Shin continued his explanation while pouring the whisky into a wine glass.

"This bottle is the third release in the 'Sun & Moon' series. The concept is to release two casks with contrasting personalities, the sun and the moon, as a pair."

"The sun and the moon..." Madoka repeated with interest.

"Yes. 'the Sun' is a 25-year-old distilled in 1993, aged in a hogshead. It has a bright, gorgeous aroma of beeswax, ripe fruit, and cinnamon. On the other hand, this 'the Moon' is a 23-year-old distilled in 1995, aged in a sherry butt."

A deep, profound aroma rose from the glass placed in front of masa.

"Karin-to, caramel... and balsamic vinegar? I can also sense cassis."

"As expected. If the Sun is the extroverted brightness of the sun, the Moon is the introspective depth of the night. It starts with the sweetness of prunes and changes to a dry, bitter tannin toward the finish."

masa took a sip. Indeed, it was sweet and dense at first, but soon a bittersweetness spread over his tongue. It was a quiet, deep flavor, as if one were lost in thought alone on a full moon night.

"Which distillery is the Secret Speyside from?"

Madoka asked.

"That is unknown. The real name is hidden for the sake of the distillery's brand protection and distribution reasons. But, judging from this flavor..."

Shin thought for a moment before continuing.

"It is said to be Macallan, Glenfarclas, or perhaps Glenrothes. But you know, there is meaning in not knowing. You can face the quality of the liquid itself without being swayed by the brand name."

"So, it's a philosophy of the blind?"

masa was impressed. It was a philosophy different from the knowledge gained from studying for the whisky certification—the philosophy of those who actually select the casks, bottle them, and send them out into the world.

"I want to try it too."

Madoka's eyes sparkled.

"That sounds good. It is a full moon tonight, after all."

Shin smiled and prepared another glass.

The three of them raised their glasses while looking up at the full moon outside the window.

"Cheers to the full moon."

The amber liquid reflects the moonlight, swaying quietly in the glass.

"It's mysterious, isn't it?" Madoka said thoughtfully. "Whisky that was put into a cask in 1995, after 23 years of time, is being poured into our glasses like this on the night of a full moon in 2026."

"Time, the moon, and whisky—I suppose they all come around in cycles."

Masa looked out the window. The full moon was shining quietly as always.

"Shinanoya isn't just selling whisky," Shin said calmly. "They are cultivating Japanese whisky culture itself. They maintain fair prices, provide careful tasting notes, and support domestic craft distilleries. With the discerning eye they have cultivated over 90 years, they deliver the real thing to us."

"Because shops like this exist, we are able to encounter the real thing."

Madoka tilted her glass with satisfaction.

Masa also slowly savored the whisky. It was sweet, deep, and bittersweet. He thought it was just like life. He had been drinking Scotch for 30 years, but there were still whiskies he didn't know. There were still encounters to be had.

"I'd like to drink 'the Sun' next time."

"That's for a sunny afternoon, perhaps."

Shin laughed.

Outside the window, the full moon was illuminating the city as it always did tonight. The sound of the Naka River flowing could be heard quietly. In the small bar, the three of them were spending a peaceful time, drinking the moon.

—On the night of a full moon, with a special whisky.