Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve

By Barry Bradford on October 14, 2014 • ( 1 Comment )

The Yamazaki Distillers Reserve (43%, OB, 2014)

Category: Japanese single malt whisky
Origin: Yamazaki distillery
Bottling: Suntory, OB
ABV: 43%
Cost: £40

What they say

Check out the beautiful Yamazaki website

The new Yamazaki is born of the meeting of a variety of Yamazaki malts, including the traditional Yamazaki malts stored in Japanese oak (Mizunara) casks and revolutionary malts stored in wine casks.

What I say

Our first whisky of the evening at WOLS 14/4 tasting ‘Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover’ – during which drams were poured blind for the delectation of our society members.

My tasting notes:

Colour: Ginger/gold
Nose: Perfumed, sweet and floral, cherry wine or blossom, strawberries and cream, a faint sub-aroma of acetone, mizunara oak
Taste: Fruity apple, cherry, raspberry, strawberries and cream, blueberry, custard apple with cinnamon hints, cherrywood
Finish: Long, gentle spices, cinnamon and orange zest, bubblegum, vanilla and mizunara oak

Overall

This is very similar to the Yamazaki 12 Years old that I had the pleasure of sampling recently only it has a subtle hint of being slightly younger and much fresher in its fruity elements. A delicious dram, this reminded me of cherry lips and strawberries and cream candies with a subtle unusual cherrywood and mizunara oak. This is as fragrant as a breeze through the cherry blossom and just as enjoyable. A very well constructed ‘No age-statement’ whisky from Yamazaki that is the perfect introduction to their range.