This Stellar New Yamazaki Whisky Was Aged Entirely in Mizunara Oak
Japanese whisky may have decreased a bit in popularity from the heights it reached in the late 2010s, but there are still some extremely rare and highly collectible bottles out there—and a lion’s share of them seem to come from the House of Suntory. The latest release is a 25-year-old single malt from Yamazaki that has the distinction of being the oldest expression to date from that distillery to be entirely matured in Japanese mizunara oak. Here are the details of this rare and expensive whisky.
Yamazaki, which is located near Kyoto, is one of Suntory‘s three whisky distilleries–the others are Hakushu, which is located in the mountains outside of Toyko, and Chita, the company’s grain distillery. Many styles of whisky are produced at Yamazaki, the result of the use of different types of stills to make whisky that is then aged in various types of wood. One of those, of course, is mizunara, a type of oak that is native to Japan which is notoriously porous and difficult to use—and has become a popular finishing cask for whiskey produced in America, Scotland, and Ireland.
The core Yamazaki lineup consists of expressions aged for 12, 18, and 25 years—but these are all matured in a variety of different types of casks that are blended together, including bourbon, sherry, and mizunara (only a small percentage, however). The new Yamazaki 25 Years Old Mizunara, however, was aged entirely in mizunara, making it the oldest whisky to date from Suntory to receive this treatment (that title was previously held by an 18-year-old whisky). Of course, this single malt is certainly not the oldest to date from Yamazaki. That distinction goes to the 55-year-old expression that was first released in 2021, a blend of whiskies aged in mizunara and white oak barrels.
We got to sample the whisky for ourselves, and it’s a delicate and beautiful dram with notes of sandalwood, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a bit of ripe red berry on the palate. It’s bottled at 48 percent ABV, so there’s a pleasant bit of warmth on the finish that slowly fades out. And, as is the case with most of the Suntory whisky lineup, it meets the (still voluntary) guidelines set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association that defines Japanese whisky.
Of course, this is an expensive bottle that comes in very limited numbers. It’s priced at $7,500, but will surely go for much more than that on the secondary market, and the brand doesn’t say exactly how many bottles are being released globally. While you’re hunting for one to try for yourself, you can pick up some other pretty choice Yamazaki expressions from websites like ReserveBar now.
