Yamazaki 12 Year

Mild citrus and earth on nose but smoke comes through. Palate stronger with ashtray peat and smoke. Finish is long, mildly hot but definitely moderately smokey. Not quite as peaty as some of the islay I’ve had but still too much smoke for me.

Smooth like silk... every sip just melts .

Maple nose and flat finish

An incredibly bready, almost like a honey toast smell immediately greets you but there's a surprisingly playful citrusy note. I can't pin point it. Not quite orange but also not mandarin. It's very nice. Be sure to look for it as it's quite prominent and it's not often I find it in a whiskey. Honey, vanilla, the sweet, odd sugary taste of sherry, a nice citrusy note dominate the palate. It's very sweet, almost reminiscent of a bourbon without that sugary overload that defines the category. The finish is of a peculiar woody character I'm not familiar. My guess is that it's the Japanese wood making it's presence known along with a fantastic cinnamon note that complements it quite well. The bready flavor rounds out the finish reminding you that despite the bourbon influence this is a wheat based endeavor. Divine. Don't miss out on this.