Taste Testing South Korea's Craftbros Gatchaman World Blend Whisky x Distilled IPA Ken The Eagle G-1 & Jun The Swan G-3
"Sometimes one, sometimes five; the white shadow that moves unseen. Shadow warriors of justice! Bird, go!"
What a blast from the past yet again from South Korea's Craftbros! Last the pioneering South Korean craft beer brewer and whisky distiller had collaborated with the cult 1970's manga Galaxy Express 999 for some really standout and first of their kind World Blends, and now Craftbros has partnered with Tatsunoko Production to feature yet another beloved 1970's anime, Gatchaman!
Gatchaman, a 70's cult classic!
Gatchaman, or Science Ninja Team Gatchaman in full, is a real old school epic that features the classic themes of friendship, teamwork, ambition and fighting for good. The storyline follows five teens - Ken, Jo, Jun, Jinpei and Ryu - who together fight to save the environment and safeguard the world against the abuse of technology. These young ninjas therefore find themselves in a constant fight against the villain that is Galactor, who seeks to control Earth's natural resources. Each member of the team is characterised by a different bird species and thus each have their own unique set of superpowers, with Ken (the Eagle) a tactical genius, Jo (the Condor) a marksman, Jun (the Swan) the electronics expert, Jinpei (the Swallow) a reconnaissance operator, and Ryu (the Owl) the pilot of the team's ship. They also each carry a team number and their own call signs running from G-1 all the way to G-5.
Craftbros Brewery and Distillery in Gimpo, South Korea.
And so drawing from Gatchaman's core premise of different forces uniting as one, Craftbros likens its World Blend in a similar fashion, with whiskies drawn from around the world coming together as a single expression to serve a harmonious goal. To that end, Craftbros (under their Whiskybros brand) has produced two blends, both of which combining a World Blend with Craftbros' own distilled IPA, to introduce something completely unique - a whisky / distilled IPA blended spirit - that is only made possible with Craftbros' double expertise in producing famous hoppy IPA craft beers and also pioneering South Korean malt whiskies! As far as we're aware, this is a cuvee that can only be found with Craftbros (and are both blended and bottled by Craftbros in Korea)! It also of course begs the question as to why it is that we don't combine different spirits together more, all in the pursuit of great flavour and complexity! But as we've come to learn, Craftbros leans into the fact that the South Korean whisky distilling scene is incredibly nascent and hence can turn that blank canvas into their advantage by putting aside centuries of dogma and tradition to create something that can't be found anywhere else.
And so with that said, let's give them a taste!
PS. Big shoutout to Eddie who continues to boldly pursue unique creations that reimagine what whisky can be like! Cheers to you!
Review: Craftbros x Gatchaman Ken The Eagle G-1 Tropical Ruby World Blend Bouquet Blended Whisky x Distilled IPA, 50% ABV
Tasting Notes
Colour: Gold
Aroma: Immediately musky with heavily and darkly scent hop florals, it’s almost dark and brooding, blending industrial tones of diesel and well worked machinery with an exotic fruitiness of lychees, pineapples, apricots and a touch of passionfruit, with some rose petals, thick pineapple leaves topped over. The two halves are melded by a lush richness of thick honey and buttery maltiness, really aromatic and complex, calling towards an immense depth. With time, a noticeable piney resinous waxiness shows up along with some eucalyptus, adding to the exotic allure.
Taste: Medium-bodied, rich and lush, really candied too, it bursts forth with a rush of exotic lychees, rose petals and passionfruit, with a core of orange and passionfruit marmalade. It’s a little leafy and pithy, yet coaxed in with a whole lot of honey that’s laid over a canvas of fresh and delicious cream. There’s also a more understated side of dark and red fruits, of stewed prunes and plums, red currants, and some leather, with a touch of umaminess of teriyaki sauce.
Finish: That resinous piney waxiness makes a return, with loads of sappy eucalyptus, incredibly evocative and wild, with this sense of exoticism. It carries through to lacquered agarwood and jasmine florals, still laid over that thick honey and brown sugar, leading to a clean finish. Lingering florals and fruits of rose petals, lychees and pineapples stay on.
My Thoughts
Striking and bracing like the Gatchaman character of Ken The Eagle himself! This leaps from the glass with big aromatics, really forward and bold, yet at the same time showing great precision and are well developed. The distilled IPA definitely takes the lead with the whisky itself more supportive, with both layers showing great seamlessness in their integration. This is the case for the body as well, which then really reflects the depth and richness of the underlying whisky. It's luscious and powerfully aromatic, but what I really most loved was that really exotic, resinous and almost sappy, piney waxiness that felt so evocative and almost alluringly mysterious!
Review: Craftbros x Gatchaman Jun The Swan G-3 Pink Citrus World Blend Bouquet Blended Whisky x Distilled IPA, 50% ABV
Tasting Notes
Colour: Gold
Aroma: Immediately tropical, with juicy and luscious tones of mangoes, pineapples and passionfruits, and a more subtle bit of rose petals and lychees, there’s still that distinct resinous pine waxiness and eucalyptus here. The fruitiness and resinous traits are more even footed here, together backed up by a more gentle cusp of acacia honey that’s mixed in with some orange and yuzu marmalade. With time, it gains in that floral quality, with more in the way of jasmines and chrysanthemums that take the lead.
Taste: Medium-bodied, really lush and rich, pillowy and creamy too. It’s really honeyed and juicy with a lovely suppleness, here a mixture of apricots, lychees, rose petals and orange marmalade that are seamlessly integrated, backed up by a more confectionary base of custard. Delicate wafts of that resinous pine and eucalyptus, with just a bit of savoury teriyaki sauce, and a dab of industrial diesel tones.
Finish: Still really honeyed and supple, with all of that custard carrying through. It’s more savoury with grilled teriyaki meats that’s met with orange jams that together work their way into a clean, firm and minty finish. The rose petals, lychees, pithy grapefruits, pine and diesel all make a comeback together as a bouquet.
My Thoughts
True to form, this also felt much like the character of Jun The Swan in its elegance and gracefulness, alittle more mellow and understated, yet showing more balance and harmony across the various traits, with particularly an overt floral quality of exotic bouquets of jasmines and chrysanthemums laid over juicy and luscious mangoes and passionfruits. The resinous piney quality is still present although more folded across the pillowy folds of acacia honey and yuzu marmalade. It's really supple and also more confectionary with this bed of custard upon which the tropical tones of the distilled IPA, of roses, lychees and apricots are layered atop. Of particular note, this has a really refreshing minty finish that is firm and lush but also really fragrant, and thereafter everything comes back around and lingers on!
Kanpai!
@111hotpot
