I was eager to get back to tasting single malt whiskys after a brief foray into single grain scotch territory, and I found one I had been meaning to try. However, this one also comes with an asterisk - you can't call a single malt 'scotch' when it's distilled in Japan.
Japan's first commercial whisky distillery has actually been around since 1923, but didn't start exporting its wares until 1984, and even then on a limited scale. On the outskirts of Kyoto in the Osaka Prefecture, the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery apparently enjoys an ideal microclimate for producing and cask aging malt whisky, very similar to the Speyside region of northeast Scotland, and commands the largest share of the Japanese whisky market.
I was going to talk about the booming popularity of Japanese malts, but it occurs to me that there are a few additional surprising nationalities of which this could be said, so perhaps I'll delve into all that in a separate post. For now then, let's just talk about Yamazaki 12 and how it stacks up with Scotland's finest:
The golden color and fragrant nose are immediately familiar to fans of Speyside malts. Orchard fruit, peach I would say in this case, forms the backbone of its aromas, upon which is layered a touch of citrus, autumnal spice, and soft oak. Every fall, my mother puts out a decorative bowl of oranges perforated with cloves, and that unmistakable aroma comes to mind now. Very delicate, but does show some complexity.
The flavors were more tropical than I expected. Coconut and grapefruit. There is a definite tang. Vanilla and honey show up a bit later. I don't detect peat, or any smoke for that matter, but everything is so fresh and light tasting that smoke might detract or overpower the palate. The body is medium at most, clean mouth feel. This could certainly hold its own among mnny Speyside malts I've tried.
The spice and the oak come during the long finish. Distilleries tend to make a big deal out of where their oak casks come from and what particular properties each one imparts. Mizunara is Japanese oak, one I have only seen used elsewhere in a Bowmore alternative casking expression, and you can taste its hallmark coconut sandalwood flavor lingering after everything else drops off.
Everything with the Yamazaki 12 seems so restrained, elegant, and deliberate. I tend to favor heartier malts with salty, savory, and smoky undertones, so this is not exactly my wheelhouse, but I can appreciate the flavor profile it achieves and enjoyed it as much as many of its Scottish counterparts. If Glenlivet 12 or Glenmorangie 10 are regular purchases for you, maybe try putting this one in the rotation once in a while.
Overall Grade: 86/100, solid B
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