Suntory Yamazaki Mizunara Oak Cask 18 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml) - 100th Anniversary Edition

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product pictured.

A release that only comes around once in a blue moon, Yamazaki's 18 year old Mizunara cask has been described as the ultimate Japanese whisky. Showcasing everything learned about the best way to pair their whisky with Japanese Oak, Suntory have created a deep and multi-layered experience which brings ripe stone fruits and elegant spice character together in a way that can only be described as harmonious. The occasion was marked for their 100th anniversary in 2022, preemptively, as the distillery opened in 1923. 48% Alc./Vol. Collectible.

Master blender Shinji Fukuyo creates his annual masterpiece from whiskies 18 years and up, with a small portion exceeding 50 years of age. All components were matured in casks made from Japan's native oak, the 'Mizunara'.

Suntory began to experiment with the indigenous oak after the Second World War, when supplies of foreign oak were difficult to source. It made a far from ideal vessel, Mizunara's loose grains tended to cause leakage and also created challenges in terms of timber selection and cooperage. Blenders at the time had few kind words to say about the wood. Decades later, the tree is better understood, and the hints of incense, sandalwood, and aloeswood it imparts to whisky are prized. The oak releases these qualities after decades rather than years, making the whiskies they mature all the more precious.