This Single grain whisky, aged 23 years in ex-bourbon casks, from the Kumesen Distillery in Okinawa Japan. Expect notes of ginger, spice, terrific woody notes, and a nice distant buttery caramel that comes through to the middle and end. Dark chocolate touches of cinnamon, some hard lemon candy, and melted caramel sweetness. The finish is heavy in sweetness, with lasting notes of licorice (those same notes that started as dark chocolate).

Makoto, translates as honesty. This is the second expression to the Bushido series and another single grain whisky, spending 23 years in ex-bourbon casks as opposed to 17, delivering an even more profound depth of complexity. This Makoto 23 year 93 points from Whisky Advocate.

Kumesen Syuzo was founded in 1952, getting their distilling start producing Awamori, a distilled alcoholic beverage indigenous made with Indica rice and unique to Okinawa islands of Japan, also known as Ryuku islands. Around 1989, this innovative distillery started to mature their spirit in oak barrels, creating a unique kind of ji-whisky in its own category.