Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve

Cranberry, plum, and syrupy nose with a Cranberry, dates, sweet grapes, and light oak taste. Long Cranberry and dates finish.

Nose: The aroma presents cherry blossoms and an abundance of ripe, tropical fruits. There's a touch of dark chocolate, plum, dark honey and brown sugar, accompanied by a bit of crème brûlée. A sharp acetone note is noticeable, reminiscent of pear and red apples. Adding a few drops of water diminishes these notes. There’s no perfumed scent from the mizunara influence that i was expecting but overall, the whisky smells pleasing. Palate: On the palate, here is where it takes a turn. It’s very sharp and spicy, with hints of honey, brown sugar, and caramel. The tropical fruit notes are present but overshadowed by the sharpness. This sharpness indicates a very young whisky, which is pretty disappointing for a very expensive NAS bottle. Even with a bit of water, the sharpness persists, making it a letdown. Finish: The finish is virtually nonexistent and doesn't live up to expectations. Nothing much to write here. It leaves a lemon citrus note but otherwise lacks depth and is very short. It's probably one of the worst finishes I've experienced. Considering the price, I would not recommend this whisky to anyone. I would happily choose Nikka From the Barrel, which I consider one of the best affordable yet wonderful Japanese whiskies, over this one. Overall: Beautiful nose, but a very thin and disappointing palate, its just too sharp. The finish is non existent. Try a sample at a bar and decide for yourself before investing on an expensive bottle.

Very nice, easy drink, long gentle finish, great mouthfeel, so filling - only 10ml, was great

The Yamazaki 12, if I understand correctly is a mix of malt matured in American oak puncheon, Spanish oak sherry, peated malt, and the enigmatic Mizunara Oak. I don’t fully understand the difference between the Y12 and this YDR but as far as I can make out the YDR is a Bordeaux Wine and Sherry Cask, with just a splashing of Mizunara Oak as a token gesture. The price point difference would definitely suggest that the expensive Japanese Oak matured malt is not heavily present here. N: Light and bright. Plenty of sherry cask and bordeaux influence with winey dried fruits. Toasty barley, bitter cocoa powder, dark honey. P: Dry, medium body with warm spice. Stewed pear, sharp red berries, big toasty malt and honey in the mid palate and then vanilla, toffee and clove. F: Medium. Peaches, brown sugar, cloves and oak tannins. A slightly floral after tone but not particularly delicate or pretty. Hakushu 12 and Yamazaki 12 are unquestionably delicious whiskies and have so much to offer. But the AUD$450 price is in a word; ludicrous. Enter the Distiller Reserves. At around 1/3 of the price the DRs are supposed to be approachable representations of their fully aged counterparts. For Hakushu, the DR is a close counterpart. For Yamazaki, the DR is in my opinion a pale imitation. Complexity, depth, texture, delicacy; all are subdued or missing. If I didn’t know of the Y12 the DR still isn’t great, just the intriguing side of good. If you can’t afford the Y12, I would take a pass on this YDR. Distiller whisky taste #281 [Pictured here with a lump of Adamite on a limonite-gossan from Ojuela Mine, Mexico. Adamite is a zinc arsenate hydroxide mineral that is found in the oxidised zones above zinc ore deposits or in arsenic-bearing hydrothermal mineral zones. Pure adamite is colourless but it is most often seen with a yellow colour due to iron replacing zinc in the crystal structure.]