Yamazaki 18 Year

Nose - red berry, apple, cherry, plum, date, marshmallow, subtle citrus, powdered sugar, wine, pecan, walnut, coffee, green spicy wood (which is generally how I register the mizunara influence), cracked pepper, honey, rich butterscotch, creamy vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, nougat, mild ethanol burn. Taste - milk chocolate, apple, cherry, butterscotch, powdered sugar, date, fig, plum, citrus juice, clove, cardamom, more berry, green spicy wood, wine, marshmallow, coffee, creamy vanilla, ginger, walnut, cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, mild alcohol bite, finishing medium length with boozy chocolate, sweet berry, and baking spice flavors. This is beautifully well balanced. It is definitely better than most Japanese whiskies I’ve tried, with the possible exception of Nikka from the Barrel, but it’s close. The Nikka is obviously more youthful and bright, but I really like how it accents the overall profile. With the Yamazaki, you can smell and taste the age, which is nice, but the whole experience seems almost too balanced, too well integrated. Not boring, but there are no sharp edges or particularly noteworthy points to highlight. Now, this is less of a critique on the whisky itself (which is obviously masterfully blended and meticulously tended), and more a commentary on my specific biases, which lean toward the harsher, more challenging profiles. Overall, it’s a cut or two above the ordinary and a pleasure to review. I hope to try the 12 year old soon and see whether the less mature expression is more interesting to my palate.

I’ve been sitting on a sample of this for a few months now, but never wanted to review it until I had reviewed the Yamazaki 12 and could see the progression in the age statements. Since I was finally able to review that one, I can finally crack open my sample of this hyped up beast and dive in to see if it lives up to that several hundred dollar price tag. The nose starts with a light smoky quality, thinking sandalwood incense in a faraway room but you can still smell it, and then follows with some rich caramel, candied ginger, cherry cordials, toasted marshmallow, espresso, walnuts, vanilla pods, poached pears and light ethanol burn. The taste is a medium viscous mouthfeel starting with rich caramel, candied ginger, chocolate orange, cherry, stewed cinnamon apple then spices of sage, leather and sandalwood with a light ethanol burn that finishes medium-long with chocolate covered espresso beans, candied ginger, raisins, stewed cinnamon apples, leather, and light sandalwood incense smoke that lingers for minutes. This is certainly way better than the 12, as I had them side by side while I drank them, as this one is far richer, more balanced and better depth of flavors, but I don’t think it justifies its price nor legend. I wish I had pulled the trigger on the 18 over 10 years ago when I saw it for 100 and tried it then, as the quality might have gone down with so much demand for this one. Happy I got to try this one, but at least it was just a sample and I saved myself 850 whisky dollars to use on some other whisky hunt.

I waited too long to finally taste this dram. I even have an unopened bottle in my house that i leave it that way since the price went berserk and you can find it in some stores up to $1000. Really i think i expected a mind-blowing, award winning, new top 1, but this was not it for me. Dont get me wrong, this is a great dram, i just don't think it is what i was expecting. Bottled at 43% beautiful chesnut color. On the nose, it was perfect. Incredibly sweet: Orange, Cotton candy. Thick Sugar but the one that is left after you drink a cup of coffee and there is this little sugar in the bottom of the cup. Orange hard candy. Some sherry after letting it breath. After a perfect score on the nose i got excited for what was coming, palate and aftertaste but it didn't live to the promise of the aroma. On the palate: A little watery. A little spicy. Very smooth., Caramel. There is a dim sherriness. There is a fruitiness like a speysider whisky but all too smooth and easy. I call this the curse of fancy whiskies. There is nothing off putting, "au contraire" they are delicious and too smooth. But in my book, that is not so interesting. Finish is short with a ginger finish and chocolate with salt but very dim. Overall this is a good dram. Many will love it. I just dont find it too interesting. 85 over 100 is fair for it, i would not pay $1000 not even $300 for it, but at least i got it out of my whisky bucket list. I believe it is too "soft".

Was lucky enough to have a friend bring this over. The bottle was close to being gone, about 15% left. Current price $700+ GEEEEZ Awards: World Whiskey 2018 Gold. International spirits challenge Double Gold. SF Spirit Challenge Best in Show, etc etc. GC. Didn't let it breath, too excited N(5): Delightful. Maybe low in the bottle or I can handle the proof now, but I can stick my whole nose. It's not bold or punchy. Instead rounded and gentle. You definitely get a of flavors and it evolves. Thing I was able to pick out. Dried ginseng. Condensed honey syrup. Those dried Asian prunes without the sourness. Hint of wood and peat. Vanilla powder. Caramel. Wood spice. P(4.75): Like the nose this baby evolved. Flavor wise I can't complain. Mirrors the nose. The only other note was some hints of milk chocolate. Not perfect because I wanted more punch. I think if this was elevated in proof a little bit, it would be amazing for me. F(5): No hug but this think is long finish. A lot of woody notes. Dried out wood that has been baked next to a blueberry, raspberry, boysenberry pie. Overall: I'm so glad I had the opportunity to try this. I would definitely buy it if I can afford it. Just need to wait til supply comes back. I think the MSRP on this bottle was $250-300.

This is my first Japanese whiskey. When I noticed that this expression won a 2025 international spirits competition for best overall whiskey, I decided to finally take a plunge and i am so glad i did. Japanese whiskey is built on the Scottish technique, and you can taste the lineage in the precision and balance of that defines this bottle. Compared to its Highland/Spyside Scottish peers which i love, I would say this whiskey is a bit lighter on the smoke and more emphasis on harmony and balance throughout the sipping experience. This whiskey is exceptionally drinkable and has broad appeal across a range of tastes. The nose offers a very enticing blend of dark fruit, honey, vanilla, and floral undertones. This expression comes with a nice creamy burst of complementary flavors including smoke, leather, oak, dry fruits, chocolate, and light baking spices. The finish is silky smooth with a dash of butterscotch that fades fairly fast. If you are a whiskey connoisseur, you will appreciate the smoothness, balance, and expansive range of flavors but you will probably not find the boldness and complexity of higher ABV Scottish single malts.

Having been a fan of yamazaki 12 for a while, I knew I had to try the legendary 18. I mean, very rarely do two whiskies form so much cult of legend that their distillery has to announce them both out of production while still being very much in production. Upon getting the chance, here are my thoughts from what I can see of my notes and remember from the moment: On the nose: Fruit Stone fruit Grass Oak Japanese oak Tonic Smokey cream Vanilla and honey notes On the pallet: Much the same as above, pears, stone fruit, some peppery smoke (mildly peaty), cream and vanilla. Lots of oak and some sherry notes. Long finish, rich ethenol, almost no burn. Basically, it’s the yamazaki 12 amped up to 100. It’s very oak and wood forward, very fruity with some Peat in there for food measure. Now, is it worth the £800 a bottle? Absolutely not. But, it’s interesting and if you get a chance to try it. You won’t be disappointed.