Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Akashi 5yo Bourbon Cask 1356

Official bottling
Single malt - Kansai
Amber orange
56% ABV
Dram

Nose: Magic marker, lemon zest, malted grains, green tea, gooseberries, hints of white pepper. With water, golden syrup, magic marker, hints of green tea. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Malted grains, lemon zest, gooseberries, white grapes, fresh baked bread, hints of white pepper. With water, malted grains, golden syrup, green tea. 
Finish: Medium. White pepper, fresh baked bread, lemon zest, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Cask 1356. Rich, slightly tannic and very cereally. Water brings out even more cereal, alongside some floral notes and slightly caramelised sweetness.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi 5yo Red Wine Cask

Akashi 5yo Red Wine Cask

Official bottling
Single malt - Kansai
Amber red
50% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red wine, wet stones, raisins, pears, apples, red grapes, dried blueberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, cool, tingly, volatile. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Malted grains, cloves, oak chips, damson jam, camphor, apples, hints of dried blueberries. 
Finish: Medium. Camphor, apples, pears, oak chips, cloves. 

Comments: 

Active cask that masks most of the notes from the distillate. Jammy red fruit flavours, with a bitter herbal note of camphor. Was on the fence as to whether to add water but in the end didn’t.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Yamazaki Peated Malt Spanish Oak Kogei Collection

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark Amber gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, coffee, peat, smoke, tobacco leaf, raisins, toast, sea salt, walnut skins. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, loosens, tingly, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sea salt, tyre rubber, coffee, roast chicken, raisins, tobacco leaf, walnut skins. 
Finish: Long. Raisins, chocolate, coffee, walnut skins, smoke. 

Comments: 

This was pricey, but it’s got the bitter sweet, fragrant, meaty notes that I like in Yamazaki. This is supposed to be fairly young, but it reminds me of some of the older Yamazakis I’ve had.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Suntory Pure Malt Whisky “Yamazaki” 1983

Suntory Pure Malt Whisky “Yamazaki” 1983

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast chicken, sea salt, honey, raisins, cinder toffee, hints of nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Raisins, roast chicken, honey, raisins, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, hints of sea salt. 
Finish: Medium. Milk chocolate, roast chicken, honey, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

This is the first (or one of the very first) Yamazaki single malts bottled, way back in 1983. It’s surprisingly savoury, and I’ve always believed that Yamazaki has a savoury note until it’s gets buried under all that sherry. I feel vindicated :).

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Akashi 3yo 2018/2022

Akashi 3yo 2018/2022

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Straw
62% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, tablet, orange peel, vanilla, green tea, sandalwood, hints of cinnamon. With water, cream, condensed milk, hints of starfruit. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, warm, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Sour. Tablet, vanilla, green tea, condensed milk, cinnamon, leather, hints of orange peel. With water, green tea, leather, peat, cream. 
Finish: Long. Leather, peat, green tea, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask 101857 + 58. It’s tart stuff, but tart with the earthy sourness of peat rather than fruity acidity. Still, there’s some of that, especially with a bit of water. It’s also got notes of milk and cinnamon. Quite a lovely dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Yamazaki Spanish Oak 2022 Edition

Yamazaki Spanish Oak 2022 Edition

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Mahogany red
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, nutmeg, raisins, dark chocolate, vanilla, orange peel, hints of toast. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, cool, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Black tea, raisins, cocoa nibs, dark chocolate, coffee, nutmeg, cinnamon, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Black tea, black pepper, coffee, dark chocolate. 

Comments: 

The first Yamazaki I’ve tasted in 7 years, a function of the insane prices and the rarity of the whisky itself. Lots of winey sweet notes, highly sherried whisky. Clean, well-defined and complex flavour notes, with a nice bitter finish. Excellent stuff. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Akashi Red Blended Whisky

Akashi Red Blended Whisky

Official bottling
Single blend - West Honshu
Golden
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, green tea, smoked almonds, dried peaches, hints of leather, hints of tobacco leaf. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slightly sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Dried peaches, fresh baked bread, raisins, tobacco leaf, mint, vanilla. 
Finish: Short. Mint, tobacco leaf, white grapes, hints of oats. 

Comments: 

Eigashima whiskies are always light and sweet, but over the years they've been getting more complex. This one has lots of cereal in addition to the fruity notes, and some alluring tobacco as well. Quite tasty and refreshing, especially with ice.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi Blended Whisky

Akashi Blended Whisky

Official bottling
Single blend - West Honshu
Orange gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cola nuts, photocopy paper, orange peel, peanuts, white pepper, hints of cotton sheets. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slightly sticky, balls up on the tongue. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cola nuts, peanuts, honey, molasses, cream. 
Finish: Short. Honey, white pepper, cream, orange peel. 

Comments: 

A proper blended whisky - the flagship White Oak contains some molasses spirit. I believe that this was created for the EU market originally, but can be found all over the world (I bought the bottle in Singapore). It's well constructed, reasonably complex, and very easy-drinking. It's almost swiggable.

Verdict:

I like this.

White Oak Akashi Meisei

White Oak Akashi Meisei

Official bottling
Single blend - West Honshu
Amber
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, coffee, malted grains, honey, hints of red grapes. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, mouth coating, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Coffee, red grapes, vanilla, blueberries, hints of candied orange . 
Finish: Medium. Chocolate, coffee, candied oranges, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Another offering from the Eigashima distillery, replacing an earlier expression that may (or may not) have had some non-grain spirit in it. This is all grain. It's decent, savoury and fruit-perfumed, nice mouthfeel too. There's a teensy hint of chinotto in the finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Akashi White Oak Single Malt

Akashi White Oak Single Malt

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Buttercups
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, dried pears, guava, peanuts, cream, hints of walnuts. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, slippery, loose, slightly oily. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, dried pears, guava, palm sugar, peaches, hints of walnuts, hints of white grapes. 
Finish: Short. Guava, white pepper, peanuts, peaches, hints of photocopy paper. 

Comments: 

This is the sister bottling to the White Oak blend, the whisky that didn't taste like whisky. This one is definitely whisky though - ooked and dried fruits in abundance, with plenty of spicy pepper in the finish. The hints of paper and white grapes remind me of its sibling.

Verdict:

I like this.

Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve

Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, oak, cream, leather, red grapes, hints of musk. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, spreads out, slightly watery around the edges. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Red grapes, black tea, butter, raisins, hints of butterscotch. 
Finish: Medium. Raisins, black tea, butter, oats. 

Comments: 

A new (at least for me) NAS expression from Yamazaki. Rather fatty and buttery, something I don't often find. Possibly over-sherried as well, with the sweet grapeyness masking a lack of complexity. Lots of raisins, butter, black tea... and not much else. Unfortunately.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Yamazaki Puncheon 2013

Yamazaki Puncheon 2013

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Copper gold
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Chocolate, honey, vanilla, lemon zest, apples, palm sugar, hints of peaches.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, syrupy, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Malted grains, honey, vanilla, apples, lemon zest, palm sugar, hints of chocolate, hints of orange peel.
Finish: Long. Apples, chocolate, malted grains, honey.

Comments:

Hmm. One of the more appley Yamazakis. Apparently speed-aged in a puncheon (a smaller cask) and I think it shows. The whisky is very mild, with the fruity notes quite faint and difficult to discern. Nice notes of vanilla and palm sugar, but there is precious little complexity. Needs to spend more time in the cask, although fairly refreshing.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Dark toffee
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Red grapes, chestnuts, lemon zest, sandalwood, pine needles, honey, hints of roses.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, slightly fizzy, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Lemon zest, red grapes, cream, honey, chestnuts, liquorice, hints of soy sauce.
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, soor plooms, honey, liquorice, soy sauce.

Comments:

OK, so what does the 'Best Whisky in the World 2015' taste like? Well, nothing like the best whisky in the world. It's overhyped, but it's a very nice dram indeed. It's not Yamazaki's fault if some bloke bigs up their whisky. It's an unusual sherried whisky, in that the winey, grapey notes are not so apparent, and definitely not overpowering. There is a good deal of salty, even tart notes, and the finish is great - liquoricey, tart, very strong. Excellent stuff.

Thanks to WhiskySanta and Master of Malt for the chance to try this great whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Yamazaki Mizunara 2013

Yamazaki Mizunara 2013

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Plums, orange crush, chocolate, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood, strawberries. With water, spicier, cedar, sandalwood, hints of black pepper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, turns watery, slippery, mouth coating.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Cedar, sandalwood, orange crush, vanilla, milk chocolate, plums, hints of strawberries. With water, sweeter, sandalwood, apricots, black pepper.
Finish: Short.Vanilla, orange crush, plums, pears. With water, strawberries, sandalwood.

Comments:

I went on a fool's errand looking for a Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013, but that was long gone. This one was a decent substitute. Brewed beer and orange crush, very unlike the 'usual' Yamazaki, whatever that means - less meaty, less savoury. Mizunara wood imparts a delicious finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Akashi White Oak Blended

Akashi White Oak Blended

Official bottling 
Single blend - East Honshu
Light gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, photocopy paper, steamed rice, cotton sheets, hints of lavender, hints of peach.
Mouthfeel: Light body, watery, slippery.
Tasting: Sweet sour . Green tea, white grapes, steamed rice, cotton sheets, hints of lavender.
Finish: Short. Green tea, white grapes, peaches, cotton sheets.

Comments:

OK, this is very unusual. In fact, it doesn't even taste like whisky. And there's a good reason for this, because this is a blend of single malt from Eigashima distillery, distilled molasses spirit (isn't this rum?) from the same distillery, and possibly a smidgen of non-Japanese grain whisky. It's not really whisky by the usual definition. It is light, fresh, mild and gentle, with pleasant notes of freshly laundered cotton sheets, green tea, and steamed rice. I really like this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel

Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel 

Official bottling 
Single malt - West Honshu
Pale gold
48.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, soy sauce, honey, lemon zest, strawberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, creamy, loose. 
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, honey, butterscotch, lemon zest, chocolate. 
Finish: Long. Strawberries, chocolate, honey, hints of soy sauce. 

Comments: 

Hmmm... this was a surprise. Really creamy and full bodied, yet light and loose. Nice sweet fruity flavours, which, over time, developed into really strong chocolatey notes. Very, very delicious indeed.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 119.12 (Yamazaki 16 yo 1992/2009)

SMWS 119.12 (Yamazaki 16 yo 1992/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - West Honshu
Amber
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, caramel, rum, burnt rubber, brown paper, cedar, quince jelly, hints of fish sauce.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, tingly, astringent, thick.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, rum, brown paper, roast pork, chillies, quince jelly, hints of fish sauce.
Finish: Long. Sweet, palm sugar, chillies.

Comments:

Many thanks to Jonathan and Darren for this sample. Matured in 3rd fill (?) sherry butt made from Japanese oak - a very unusual maturation that I've never seen before. The batch of bottles was released in Japan only, but the SMWS London venue got a few. Heavy and sweet, but still savoury like most Yamazakis, the whisky nevertheless tastes distinctly like rum - not like rum-cask matured whisky, but like rum!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Yamazaki Distillery

Yamazaki Distillery
5-2-1 Yamazaki
Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun
Osaka
Japan

West Honshu, Japan - Active

Flavour profile

Yamazaki whisky is rich, thick, and usually brings together very different flavour elements. The distillery can produce spirit of markedly different styles from its 12 stills, and this diversity of flavours is reflected in the Wordle below. Even so, there are some characteristics that can be picked out quite easily - raisins and peat predominate, followed by sweet-savoury notes of orange peel, roast pork, ginger, palm sugar and... burnt rubber?

The last, chemical, slightly harsh flavour actually represents a family of tastes that are quite subtle, but present in Yamazaki whisky (at least the 4 I have written tasting notes on). These flavours are represented in the Wordle by pepper, ginseng, cayenne pepper, bitter melon and fish sauce - bitter, savoury flavours. I do feel that every time I taste a Yamazaki (even one I have tasted before) I find a new and unusual flavour to add to the list. Yamazaki whisky is complex, subtle, and unusual. Oh yes, and delicious too.


All the Yamazakis I've tasted so far are here.

SMWS 119.10 -very good
Yamazaki 10 yo - good
Yamazaki 18 yo - very good
Yamazaki 12 yo - good

Distillery history

The distillery is the first whisky distillery to be established in Japan. It was established in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, a wine maker, as part of Torii Shoten, a canned goods and liquor business founded in 1899 that would eventually become Suntory. The distillery has 12 stills (6 linked pairs) of different shapes, and can produce several different styles of spirit.

Yamazaki single malt first became available in 1984. There are fairly widely available official bottlings available aged 10, 12, 18 and 25 years old. In addition there are the rare 25 and 30 year old official bottlings, and a number of vintage, specially aged expressions. Independently bottled Yamazaki isn't common, but does exist.

Potted distillery facts

Water source: Rikyu-no-Mizu, natural spring near the distillery on Mount Tennozan
Washbacks: Douglas fir and stainless steel
Wash stills: Six, differently shaped.
Spirit stills: Six, differently shaped.
Spirit still Lyne arm: Pair 1 - slanted sharply downward
Production per year: approximately 3,500,000 litres

- courtesy of Google, compiled by Red Hare late at night

SMWS 119.10 (Yamazaki 19 yo 1989/2009)

SMWS 119.10 (Yamazaki 19 yo 1989/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - West Honshu
Dirty brown
62.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, palm sugar, cocoa, caramel, burnt rubber, rum, orange peel, hints of wood smoke, hints of roast pork.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, astringent, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, burnt rubber, orange peel, dark chocolate, roast pork, caramel, palm sugar.
Finish: Long. Palm sugar, cocoa, wood smoke, burnt rubber.

Comments:

Mmmm. Lovely sherried Yamazaki, tastes old but really isn't. I wonder where this one aged. Anyway, it's sweet with a chemical undercurrent, and a savoury meatiness that's almost textural. Very good indeed, as good as the official 18 yo that won so many awards. I might get a bottle of this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Yamazaki 10 yo

Yamazaki 10 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - West Honshu
Orange gold
40% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Ginger, pineapples, raisins, malty beer, papaya, hints of clove, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, dry, slightly astringent.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Orange juice, pineapple, raisins, cloves, hints of ginger, hints of peat.
Finish: Long. Slightly peaty, orange juice, coconut, ginger.

Comments:

Impressively spiced, with nice fruity notes. Very pleasant indeed. Could be more robust, but this is very decent for a 40% ABV whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.