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.
113.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@BDanner Thanks for pointing this out. Seems this is one of those rare cases when the VA ABC actually pays off. Completely agree with the others that $113 is still too high for the 12 year offering, but it’s the best price I’ve seen on it. I’ll be picking up one this weekend, because YOLO.
@BDanner @BeppeCovfefe I think I paid $115 during a family vacation and another $20 to check a bag and fly it home. Was, and still am, more pissed about the checked bag fee than the price on the bottle since it’s the only one I’ve ever found.
@BeppeCovfefe I knew that it was the best price I'd ever see it for.
Amazingly enough 113 might not be a bad price at all on this.
@bigwhitemike That's very true with the NAS offerings. At least for the next several years, we're likely to see a shift further away from age statements on Japanese whiskies. Who knows for how long though and Suntory likely won't want its acclaimed older age statement Hibikis and Yamazakis to drop in price, so we may end up with something else entirely.
@ContemplativeFox here’s hoping, but those NAS offerings have a lot more flexibility to boost supply even with exacting standards for flavor and quality. I suppose in the grand scheme of things your “8 years” will likely flash right past before I know it anyway. Even if there are scarce bottles, it’s not like any of us will lack of options.
@BDanner Great notes. I have to agree that this is a fine whisky, but that the VFM is poor as with many Japanese whiskies. @bigwhitemike I'm hoping that since it's only 12 years old, we'll see supply catch up to demand in the next 8 years or so. Nikka Coffey Malt/Grain and From The Barrel seem to have returned after a year or so of much lower availability. I have no idea what their age statements are, but this might indicate that supply will increase even sooner.
Nice review. Similar for me... saw one on the shelf last year for “retail” ($99 at the time). One of those hyped bottles you just buy because it’s there knowing you’d have to get lucky to get a taste any other way. Probably not worth the (current) cost on its own merits, but as there aren’t really any substitutes, so scarcity economics wins the day. First bottle I’ve seen since my purchase was $175 at a reputable store... and it was gone the next time I stopped in.