Kaz – Chief Bartender & Whisky Reviewer –

Kaz Chief Bartender & Whisky Reviewer

Kaz is a chief bartender in Japan, with eight years behind the bar and six years reviewing whisky on Whisktender, his Japanese-language whisky site. Every Dram Verdict score and every personal tasting note comes from a whisky he has tasted himself, with one question always in mind: is this bottle worth buying?

Whisky Reviews

All reviews

Blended
Black Nikka Deep Blend Review

Powerful • Peaty • Spicy

2.7 / 5
Blended Scotch
Chivas Regal 18 Year Review

Rich • Creamy • Balanced

3.9 / 5
Blended
Iwai Tradition Wine Cask Finish Review

Fruity • Balanced • Oaky

4.2 / 5
Blended Scotch
The Deacon Review

Smoky • Sweet • Light

3.7 / 5
American Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Review

Oaky • Spicy • Rich

4.2 / 5
Blended
Iwai Tradition Sherry Cask Finish Review

Sherried • Fruity • Spicy

3.9 / 5
Blended
Egan’s Bonder’s Blend Review

Sweet • Creamy • Balanced

3.6 / 5
Blended Scotch
Whyte & Mackay Special Review

Sweet • Balanced • Light

3.5 / 5
Blended Malt
Naked Malt Review

Sherried • Sweet • Light

4.0 / 5
Blended Scotch
Dewar’s 12 Year Review

Balanced • Sweet • Smooth

3.6 / 5
Single Malt
The Glen Grant 10 Year Review

Fruity • Malty • Fresh

4.2 / 5
Blended
Jameson Stout Edition Review

Sweet • Chocolatey • Balanced

3.7 / 5

Articles

Monkey Shoulder vs Johnnie Walker Double Black: Which Should You Buy?
Monkey Shoulder and Johnnie Walker Double Black are both popular, approachable Scotch whiskies, but they aren’t the same kind of Scotch and…
Maker’s Mark vs Buffalo Trace: Which Should You Buy?
Maker’s Mark and Buffalo Trace are both Kentucky straight bourbons, both bottled at 45% ABV in the versions Kaz reviewed, and both…
Glenfiddich 12 vs The Glenlivet 12: Which Should You Buy?
Glenfiddich 12 and The Glenlivet 12 are both 12-year-old Speyside single malts aimed at easy drinking, so they often end up on…
Redbreast 12 vs Redbreast 15: Which Should You Buy?
Redbreast 12 and Redbreast 15 are both age-stated Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys from the same Redbreast family, made at Midleton in…
The Glendronach 12 vs The GlenAllachie 12: Which Should You Buy?
The Glendronach 12 and The GlenAllachie 12 are both 12-year-old single malt Scotch whiskies, and both are aimed squarely at drinkers who…
Woodford Reserve vs Maker’s Mark: Which Should You Buy?
Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select and Maker’s Mark are two approachable Kentucky straight bourbons that start from similar ground: both have a sweet…
Johnnie Walker Black Ruby vs Black Label: Which Should You Buy?
Johnnie Walker Black Ruby and Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 share a Johnnie Walker foundation, but they’re built for different drinking. Johnnie…
Monkey Shoulder vs Johnnie Walker Black Label: Which Should You Buy?
Monkey Shoulder and Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 sit at the same price on US shelves, but they aren’t the same kind…
Johnnie Walker Double Black vs Black Label: Which Should You Buy?
Johnnie Walker Double Black and Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 are close relatives: Diageo describes Double Black as embodying the characteristics of…
What Does Non-Chill Filtered Mean in Whisky?
“Non-chill filtered” means the whisky was bottled without chill filtration — a step in which whisky is cooled and passed through a…
Japanese Whisky Guide: Styles, Brands & Bottles to Know
Japanese whisky has gone from a niche curiosity to one of the most talked-about whisky categories in the world, but “Japanese whisky”…
Wild Turkey 101 8 Year vs Rare Breed: Which Should You Buy?
Wild Turkey 101 8 Year and Wild Turkey Rare Breed are both bold, spice-forward bourbons from the same Kentucky distillery, but they…
Redbreast 12 vs Green Spot: Which Should You Buy?
Redbreast 12 and Green Spot are both Single Pot Still Irish whiskeys made at Midleton Distillery, and they’re closer in profile than…
Laphroaig 10 vs Caol Ila 12: Which Should You Buy?
Laphroaig 10 and Caol Ila 12 are both real, unmistakably peated Islay single malts, but they land in almost opposite places on…
Ardbeg 10 vs Caol Ila 12: Which Should You Buy?
Ardbeg 10 and Caol Ila 12 are both peated Islay single malts with a lot more in common than a quick glance…
Lagavulin 16 vs Laphroaig 10: Which Should You Buy?
Lagavulin 16 and Laphroaig 10 are two of Islay’s most recognizable peated single malts, and both actually carry real medicinal, iodine-like notes…
Ardbeg 10 vs Lagavulin 16: Which Should You Buy?
Ardbeg 10 and Lagavulin 16 are two of Islay’s best-known peated single malts, but they sit at very different points in Dram…
Islay Scotch Brands: A Guide to the Island’s Whisky Styles
Islay is Scotland’s most famous whisky island, and its reputation is built almost entirely on peat smoke. That reputation is earned, but…
Ardbeg 10 vs Laphroaig 10: Which Should You Buy?
Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10 are both 10-year-old, heavily peated Islay single malts that hit the top of Dram Verdict’s Smoke/Peat scale…
Lagavulin 8 vs 16: Which Should You Buy?
Lagavulin 8 and Lagavulin 16 come from the same Islay distillery and share the same peat-forward DNA, but they are not the…