So we weren’t being exactly accurate when we stated that the US is limited to the 12 and 18 year old expressions of Yamazaki. There was actually one more available here and that was the 1984. But for most the purchase price ($600) was so high that it might as well not have been available here. The allocation to the US was also limited to only 300 bottles.
The Yamazaki 1984 was bottled to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Yamazaki brand. 1984 was the year that new stills were installed at Yamazaki with the intent of producing single malt whisky – as opposed to just blends. As with most Yamazaki’s the 1984 is a combination of American, European and Japanese (Mizunara) oak but there is a higher dosage of Japanese oak aged whisky.
Yamazaki 1984
Bottle #2645
48% ABV
Color: Burnt orange/copper
Nose: Loads of fragrant wood, sandal wood, old furniture, oily, musty, licorice, cloves, cinnamon, fresh baked spice cake, hints of cherry, red fruits.
Mouth: Oily mouth feel, cinnamon, Mizunara influence is clearly present, dark baking spices, sandalwood, hazelnuts, red berries, hints of mint, caramel, very luscious.
Finish: Clean, fades on the fragrant wood notes.
This is a very luxurious, well composed and exactingly calculated whisky as I would expect from a Yamazaki (that is not a single cask). I think a big tip of the hat has to go to the blender(s) that created this amazingly well balanced and full flavored whisky.
Tasted this one for the first time myself last month. Very exotic indeed. Took me a while to write up notes which is often a sign of great complexity.
This one took me quite some time as well.
I sampled this at the distillery a few weeks ago and loved it.
What else did you try while there?
Where did you find this? I’ve been searching for a bottle.
I picked it up at a local store a couple of years ago. I’m pretty sure it is all long gone now.