Yamazaki Distillers Reserve | Japanese | Single MaltWhisky | Cherry, Raspberry and White Peach | Aged in Bordeaux Wine, Spanish Sherry and Japanese Mizunara Oak Casks | 43 Percent ABV | 70 cl

Product Information

The berry and jammy notes are good, there is lots of potential. But this whisky isn’t mature enough. Don’t get me wrong, this is not just common attitude against NAS whiskies. There are lots of good ones out there. This Yamazaki just isn’t good enough. Feels like they should’ve matured it a bit longer. We deliver to a number of international destinations including the USA. Please use the 'Change Location' link above for an estimate in your local currency or find out more about international delivery Comments: Although not my personal favourite, this clearly won the hearts of many on the night as there were several requests from people to have this one bottled too! Mizunara trees take at least 200 years to reach maturity before they can be chopped down and turned into casks.

The nose bursts with red fruit. Think strawberry, red berries, raspberries and a hint of raisins. Soft notes of honey and vanilla underscore the sweetness of this nose. Nice coconut and banana as well. It stands out. Some cloves and a handful of cinnamon. The Japanese oak also adds a nice floral touch. This is good! Yamazaki expanded Suntory’s whisky offering during the 1940s and the 1950s, but the next big change for the distillery came in 1961, when Torii’s son, Keizo Saji, became Suntory’s second president and Yamazaki’s second master blender. He oversaw the build of the Hakushu and Chita distilleries in the 1970s, paving the way for more experimental blends. Until the 1980s, whisky made at Yamazaki was bottled as Suntory blends, but Saji pioneered the distillery’s move into single malt whisky in 1984, with the launch of Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki. This was followed by Yamazaki 18 Years Old in 1992.These were both very good whiskies but the Yamazaki 12 got downgraded from 8 due to the crazy price spike while the Distiller’s Reserve was weighed down by the sub par finish. Before the finish I was about to declare that the Distiller’s Reserve was a worthy successor in world without age statements but alas it wasn’t to be. In a world where an excellent 18 year old scotch wasn’t cheaper than Yamazaki 12 it would definitely have a place on my shelf but the Distiller’s Reserve didn’t quite make that cut. Yamazaki is aged for a dozen years using a combination of ex-Bourbon barrels, Spanish Oloroso Sherry casks, and Japanese Mizunara Oak barrels.

Palate: Seriously aromatic, creamy, and floral, again with this spice coming through. Definitely pink peppercorns now and just a hint of fruit. The aromatic spices and floral characters resonated more so with water added. In this personal blog, I share my knowledge and insights on Whisky, Whiskey & Bourbon and other spirits, drawing from my 30 years of extensive experience. Soft arrival, then after a couple seconds a bit spicy. Creamy mouthfeel, but like diluted cream, it still is slightly thin. Fruits shine once again, with orange peel, pineapple, red apple and apricot. Chocolate, cocoa powder and cedar wood. Passion fruits, grapefruit and lemon juice. Finish: We enquired about the age of these casks and were met with a rather obvious answer – they’re old American casks! Slightly drying again on the finish. All those flavours from the palate seem to stay, the mizunara is here, the plums, the incense, the raisin and sultanas, the oak, the spices, everything. Lingering on and on and on. And on. And one last on. For the road. Comments:The Service has been prepared by us solely for information purposes to Members and the Service is based on information we consider reliable and we obtain the contents of the Service from a number of different third party sources (including Contributions), but we do not endorse, support, represent, warrant or guarantee the completeness, truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of the Services and any information therein. Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products.

Torii started his career at a pharmaceutical wholesaler, which also distilled western alcoholic beverages. In 1899, at the age of 20, he founded Torii Shoten in Osaka and started producing wine, launching the successful Akadama Port Wine, a sweet wine liqueur, eight years later. Torii then set himself an ambition to create a distinctly Japanese whisky with the build of Yamazaki. “We recognise this as the beginning of the history of Japanese whisky,” says Mineyuki Motoyama, general manager of Suntory Spirits’s whisky and imported liquor marketing department. The flavor profile unfolds with delightful notes of red berries, grapefruit, menthol, and a touch of peat, adding depth and complexity. As it reaches the palate, the whisky delivers a full-bodied sensation, providing a satisfying mouthfeel. The palate is very soft. Silky soft, in fact. Again the vanilla and honey lead a basket full of fruit. The coconut is more outspoken than the red fruit, of which the raspberries shine through. Reminds me somewhat of candy floss. The spices are a bit louder, but certainly not dominant. The oak, however, does become loud after a few moments, but it certainly does not become oaky. Good balance. Expertly blended by Shinji Fukuyo, the fourth Chief Blender of Yamazaki, the Distillers Reserve is a mix of three unique casks; Wine, Sherry & Mizunara. And there seems to be something from each in the final spirit.

Resources

This was one of the star drams at last year’s Whisky Show and we were rather pleased to have managed to get a bottle into the tasting. Then there are the Hakushus coming out from the same gates. Saltier and more maritime in nature and equally good.