Nine Leaves 2020 5 Y.O. Ex-Sherry PX Single Cask #21 60° This Nine Leaves is part of an exceptional series from the distillery founded in 2013 by Yoshiharu Takeuchi in the Japanese city of Otsu. In Nine Leaves, Yoshiharu did everything by himself, from moving barrels to bottling; then, at the end of 2023, he decided to close the distillery. A few months later, the entire stock of aging rum and the last batch of white rum were purchased by La Maison & Velier, which carries on an extraordinary and evolving legacy. The raw material that makes up Nine Leaves rum is also exceptional: pure water from an underground spring and Kokuto sugar from the Okinawa archipelago. The fermentation lasts about four days, while the distillation takes place in two Scottish pot stills Forsyth's: the first inspired by Chichibu and the second in Glenmorangie style, with a great balance that enhances the aromatic complexity. Once distilled, the rums are placed to age in different types of barrels, in two different locations: a warehouse subjected to major temperature fluctuations or an abandoned mine, with high humidity and very low temperatures. Aged for 5 years in a single cask of sherry Pedro Ximénez, this rum stands out for its extraordinary depth of expression. On the palate it is rich and deep, with hints of balm, chocolate, ginger, cinnamon and iris that evolve into shades of orange, honey and undergrowth. The palate is lively, rich in fibrous and empyumatic notes and fruity and honeyed together, which bring out bitter orange jam, quinces and vanilla over time. The finish is soft, enhanced by the influence of Pedro Ximénez.