YAMAZAKI 18 MIZUNARA 100TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION:

The Yamazaki Mizunara Single Malt is comprised of meticulously selected malt whiskies, all aged for a minimum of 18 years in solely Mizunara casks, created in honor of Suntory Whisky’s centenary.The resulting blend showcases the rare, distinctive beauty of Mizunara oak, which is considered the signature “enhancer” of Yamazaki, providing unique Japanese character and elegance. Honoring its namesake, it’s made in Japan’s first and oldest malt distillery, founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii. To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the founding House of Japanese whisky, we recall a whisky created to suit the delicate palate of the Japanese people.

Tamed by Time:

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara is truly a gift from the hands of Suntory’s past craftsmen. The legendary Japanese Oak, Mizunara, is widely regarded as a difficult wood to master. The House of Suntory blending team started experimenting with Mizunara wood as early as the 1940s, with the guidance of the First-Generation Master Blender, Shinjiro Torii, and Second-Generation Master Blender, Keizo Saji. Their first tasting identified that the young liquid in the Mizunara cask had a dominating flavor and aroma. Aged through Japan’s distinctive four seasons, nurtured in the land of Yamazaki, the determined past blenders found a balance of maturation and harmonious blend that led to mellow Mizunara’s character. The whiskies are now matured until they can take on the distinctive Japanese spiciness and incense-like flavor of sandalwood and agarwood.

TASTING NOTES:

Color: Reddish Amber

Palate: Subtly spiced organette with undernotes of Japanese incense

Nose: Rich and elegant top notes of dark cherry and ripe peach, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg

Finish: Long and lingering, accentuated with clove, sandalwood and hints of dried coconut