Nose - red berry, apple, cherry, plum, date, marshmallow, subtle citrus, powdered sugar, wine, pecan, walnut, coffee, green spicy wood (which is generally how I register the mizunara influence), cracked pepper, honey, rich butterscotch, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, nougat, mild ethanol burn.
Taste - milk chocolate, apple, cherry, butterscotch, powdered sugar, date, fig, plum, citrus juice, clove, cardamom, more berry, green spicy wood, wine, marshmallow, coffee, creamy vanilla, ginger, walnut, cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, mild alcohol bite, finishing medium length with boozy chocolate, sweet berry, and baking spice flavors.
This is beautifully well balanced. It is definitely better than most Japanese whiskies I’ve tried, with the possible exception of Nikka from the Barrel, but it’s close. The Nikka is obviously more youthful and bright, but I really like how it accents the overall profile. With the Yamazaki, you can smell and taste the age, which is nice, but the whole experience seems almost too balanced, too well integrated. Not boring, but there are no sharp edges or particularly noteworthy points to highlight.
Now, this is less of a critique on the whisky itself (which is obviously masterfully blended and meticulously tended), and more a commentary on my specific biases, which lean toward the harsher, more challenging profiles. Overall, it’s a cut or two above the ordinary and a pleasure to review. I hope to try the 12 year old soon and see whether the less mature expression is more interesting to my palate.