Suntory, The Yamazaki, 12-Year-Old, Single Malt Whisky, Japan (43%)
About this SPIRIT
Suntory Distilleries
In 1923, Suntory's founder Shinjiro Torii began constructing Japan's first whisky distillery in Yamazaki in the outskirts of Kyoto. Known since ancient times as Minaseno and famed for its excellent water, this district became the birthplace of Japanese whisky. In 1929, Suntory introduced Suntory Shirofuda (Japanese for white label), Japan's first genuine domestically produced whisky. Kakubin (square bottle), a premium Japanese whisky, was born in 1937.
In 1973, Suntory built another distillery in Hakushu at the foot of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Southern Japan Alps. Suntory's range is diverse, including single malts such as Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki, Suntory's flagship blended whisky. The whiskies have reaped a series of awards in the recent years, attesting Suntory's quality and innovation standing in the global whisky arena; At the International Spirits Challenge, one of the world's most authoritative international liquor competitions, Yamazaki 12 Years won a Gold (2003) Hibiki 30 Years won the 2004 Trophy, (the highest award in the challenge), Hakushu 18 Years also captured a Gold Award in 2006.
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Description
Due to limited stocks, this whisky is limited to six bottles per customer.
Yamazaki Distillery was founded in 1923 and has become the iconic Japanese single malt whisky. Indeed, placing it in the top echelon of renowned whisky distilleries would be more than fair. This 12-year-old bottling has been the benchmark that others judge themselves against for many years.
This is impeccable from every angle, with sweet nuttiness, complex spice, excellent length and a variety of fruit notes, from orchard to stewed and dried. As usual for Yamazaki, part of the maturation is in the fabled Mizunara oak, giving heady top notes to the gloriously coherent whole. Shouldn’t every whisky lover have a bottle of Yamazaki?
Rob Whitehead, Spirits Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (December 2022)
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