Japan, Single Malt Whiskey, 43% ABV
The Yamazaki is one of the world’s great single malts, with the 18 year old having won more international awards in the past decade than any other whisky in the world. All vintages are world class, and this one celebrates the founding of the distillery in 1923. Perfect for the collector! Nose: Classic Yamazaki strawberries and dried fruits with floral notes coming from the Mizunara cask whisky. Fragrant sandalwood and maybe coconut. Certainly a whisky where you could get lost in its nose! Palate: The dried berries remain lively on the palate (it even develops some raspberry notes along the way), but they're dialled back a bit to make room for light oak, white peach and a small amount of spice. Finish: Vanilla lasts and lasts, with spicy but sweet cinnamon acting as a final flourish. Overall: Top quality Japanese whisky, and excellent value too. Can't go wrong with this, really.