The inaugural release of the Yamazaki Sherry Cask, first bottled in 2009. It was matured in oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 48% without chill filtration.
About This Whisky
This is the bottling that started Yamazaki's run of sherry cask editions, which continued through 2013 and 2016. It carries no age statement. Like later editions it was matured in oloroso-seasoned casks, and the whisky went unchill-filtered into the bottle to keep its full texture. Expect a deep colour and a rich mix of chocolate, dried fruit and spice.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Dark chocolate, raisin, orange peel and warm spice, with polished wood.
- Palate: Rich and chewy, with dried fruit, cocoa, clove and a sweet-and-sour sherry edge.
- Finish: Long and bittersweet, with cocoa, spice and lingering fruit.
Serving & Food
Let it sit in a copita for a while before the first sip; the sherry notes deepen with air. Add water only drop by drop. Try it beside a cheese board with aged Comté and dates, or with braised beef cheek.
How to Enjoy
Completing a Yamazaki sherry cask vertical, or comparing the first edition side by side with the famous 2013.
Product Details
Producer: Suntory
Distillery: Yamazaki
Expression: Sherry Cask, inaugural release
Release year: 2009
Country: Japan
Style: Japanese single malt whisky
Age: No age statement
Cask: Oloroso sherry casks
Chill filtration: No
ABV: 48%
Volume: 700mL
About the Distillery
Yamazaki lies in a narrow valley between Mt Tennozan and Mt Otokoyama, in Shimamoto, Osaka Prefecture, right on the border with Kyoto. Torii spent years searching for a genuinely Japanese climate before choosing the spot.
The valley traps warm and cool air, and the wide seasonal swings push spirit in and out of the wood.