Yamazaki 12 Year

Amazing. Light and smooth on the palate with (very) subtle vanilla/floral notes. Just a tad sharp on the finish and a flavor that lasts.

Yamazaki 12 APPEARANCE: Nice box and Retro looking bottle and label. Pours into the Glencairn a Bright Gold. Don't even mind the screw cap. NOSE: There is an initial Tart Malt Vinegary note when first opened, but it is not present in the glass. Overall Tropical. There is a foundation of Dried Coconut topped by layers of Orange, Lemon, Pineapple, Vanilla, Almond, and Marzipan. Just a hint of Florality at first, but the longer it sits, the more prominent it becomes. There is just a smidgen of Heat. The more time I spend with it, the Richer and Deeper it becomes. NEAT: Light but Complex. A Silky Coating Mouthfeel. A foundation of Spice layered over by Buttery Vanilla Icing, Pineapple, Citrus, Leather, and a Wisp of Smoke. There is a Tingly Effervescent Quality. Finish is Lightly Warming with Tart Berries and Light Smoke. Slightly Bitter Citrus and Sweet Oak linger and coat the palate. SPLASH: A dribble of water and the palate becomes a little richer? Some Dried Cocoa Powder. Takes on the character of that Old-Timey Brown/White/Pink Striped Coconut Bars. Finish gets a little sweeter. The aftertaste is still with me over an hour later. VERDICT: I'd never seen this before and was surprised to see it in an out of the way ABC when traveling through Virginia. It doesn't quite live up to the nose, but is still an amazing Whisky, especially after a few drops of water. Another solid Japanese product. However, I feel that the VFM factor is very low here. A lot of Single Malt Scotches that are its equal for around 1/2 to 3/4 of the $113 this one set me back. Still, it's nice to have it in the collection.