All articles filed in Yamazaki

[60.2%・11 Years Old・Distilled in 2003 ・ Bottled in 2014 ・SMWS Bottling・Single Cask Release of 149 Bottles] Nose: Bold brushes of wood varnish and buttery toffee. Cloves and butterfly cookies with orange essence oil appearing late together with white peaches and popcorn seasoned with a knob of burnt butter. Palate & Finish: Rich flowing vanilla with…

Style: Woody and Red fruits Nose: Raspberry sorbet seeping into freshly sharpened, incensed sandalwood. Strawberry cream dazzles, orchard fruits, followed by a touch of Goji berries and peppermint to bring up the drier side. Vanilla barley pushing up from the back. White oak gradually takes over, finishes with a brush of honeycomb. Palate: The raspberry…

[55.0%・10 Years Old・Distilled in 2000・Bottled in 2010・Official Bottling・Cask No. EU 70121・Single Cask Release] Nose: Golden honey and barley with a gentle lace of smoke coming through.  There is also a hint of white tea that calms the attractive citrus fruits.  Structured and balanced with a brush of anise as the maritime smoke grows stronger. Palate…

[59.0%・11 Years Old・Distilled in 1994・Bottled in 2005・Official Bottling・Cask No. 4Q70069・Single Cask Release] Nose: Bold ripe fruits, freshly brewed tea and rich mahogany.  Guava and Vienna almonds laced with a underlying brush of coconut cream in due time. Palate & Finish: Rich, indulgent sweetness with just a hint of lemon twist.  Full and round mouthfeel with…

[48.0%・18 Years Old・Bottled in 2017・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: The nose is fairly understated and reserved here, which in a way highlights the spectrum of flavours and how evenly they are arranged.  Coconut chips, pear puree and subtle cherry preserves stacking neatly against each other like kissing buttons on the cuffs of a well measured suit.…

[48.0%・NAS・Bottled in 2013・Official Bottling・Limited Release] Nose: A certain je nais sais quoi with how lovely the mizunara is laid out, absolutely mesmerising.  The top notes are refreshing with delicate jammy notes and subtle hints of coconut chips and marzipan.  The unfolding of the oak is alluring, layers peeling off to reveal hints of tobacco and…

[50.0%・NAS・Bottled in 2013・Official Bottling・Limited Release of 547 Bottles] Nose: The nose is filled with that old-timey, diligently polished wood note common in Japanese shrines and mizunara matured whiskies; within the wood exists hints of muscovado sugar and pepper.  Pine wood and a slight incense smoke give a calming touch, with maple syrup and a wee…

Style: Sherry and Sweet Nose: Intoxicating aroma of raspberry-strawberry cake on the nose. Strawberry pop tart gunned down by white pepper and wood spice. Forest berries jam gradually opens up to more sherry goodness. Dig deeper we have dunnage duskiness, strawberries in the field, beetroot with a herbal touch. Palate: Strawberry malt cake swooping in…

Style: Sweet and Fruity Nose: Velvety, fresh fruits sided with deep, fragrant oak spices and white pepper. Orange and cherry gummies, vanilla and a touch of red licorice. Gentle spices winking, warm, refreshing and balanced aroma. Palate: Deliciously sweet, ripe orange and peach sharpened by dry pepper spices and wood fragrance. Flavour contracts in the…

[48.2%・Bottled in 2013・NAS・Original Bottling・Limited Release] As Bar White Oak drew to a close, it’s perhaps time to look back with fondness on the dearly departed collective. There is a generation of whisky lovers out there, myself included, who missed out on Japanese whiskies when they were regarded as bang-for-the-buck offerings that kept punching above their…