Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Met a lovely chap called Colin today who informed me that he had bought a bottle of Monkey Shoulder on the back of my recommendation below.  Gosh!  The wonders of the internet.  So with one follower in the bag, I thought it was time to unleash a few more thoughts on recently sampled quality drams.

The Yamazaki 12 year old (available in Waitrose and other reputable supermarkets!) is a corker of a Japanese dram.  My take on this one is simple - Christmas cake in a glass!  It is fruit heaven, with plenty of body, smooth and oily on the palate and lots of winter spice and lovely citrus notes, which then develop into an almost rum finish.  It is an outstanding dram for the money and the consistency in quality is a bit embarrassing to a Scotch drinker.  Every bottling delivers and you need never fear in buying a bottle and then being disappointed.  The Japanese take their quality control seriously and their approach to whisky production is no different.  While an essentially artisan tradition, Suntory have brought a level of quality to their whisky making process (especially around their wood selections) which mean the finish is always consistent.  No nasty sulphur notes on this baby!

It's one to be enjoyed over a fine book or listening to your favourite album.  I'd go for the second side of 'Low' by David Bowie, but also appreciate that our tastes may differ.  Nevertheless, regardless of the soundtrack you choose, this whisky offers much to enjoy as it warms in the glass and opens up its charms.

Interestingly, Yamazaki is owned by the Japanese Suntory Empire, which also includes a few Scotch malts in their repertoire (such as Bowmore and Auchentoshan).  Thoughts on these two will no doubt follow shortly.