Whiskybase B.V. is the Dutch private limited liability company, having its statutory seat in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and its office at Zwaanshals 530, 3035 KS Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Whiskybase B.V. is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under no. 52072819.

You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account. In this personal blog, I share my knowledge and insights on Whisky, Whiskey & Bourbon and other spirits, drawing from my 30 years of extensive experience. We could have just tried the two new releases and had a pleasant evening, but there was much more in store for us! To help us really understand these new additions, Shinji first took us through three cask samples from each distillery to explain the make-up of each final product. We started with Yamazaki:Here, I’ve immersed myself in the art of crafting Mezcal, gaining a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship that goes into distilling this ancient spirit. The finish is light but leaves a lasting impression of sweet oak, vanilla, and a delicate touch of smoke. These were both very good whiskies but the Yamazaki 12 got downgraded from 8 due to the crazy price spike while the Distiller’s Reserve was weighed down by the sub par finish. Before the finish I was about to declare that the Distiller’s Reserve was a worthy successor in world without age statements but alas it wasn’t to be. In a world where an excellent 18 year old scotch wasn’t cheaper than Yamazaki 12 it would definitely have a place on my shelf but the Distiller’s Reserve didn’t quite make that cut. The single malt is a combination of three vintages / cask types: a blending of three year old casks finished in ex-Bordeaux casks, ex-Sherry casks aged for approximately 20 years and Mizunara malt aged for 12 years and over. I am unsure of the percentage of contribution by each vintage/cask type. A blend of diverse single malts that have aged in casks of American oak, Mizunara, sherry oak, and Bordeaux casks.

As far as the blind portion goes I honestly had no idea which was which and optimistically guessed that my preferred one, #1, was the Distiller’s Reserve which was wrong.The bottling is a marriage of ex-sherry casks, Bordeaux red wine caks and mizunara (Japanese oak) casks. The nose bursts with red fruit. Think strawberry, red berries, raspberries and a hint of raisins. Soft notes of honey and vanilla underscore the sweetness of this nose. Nice coconut and banana as well. It stands out. Some cloves and a handful of cinnamon. The Japanese oak also adds a nice floral touch. This is good! Since that day I have tried Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve four times. The second time from a 200mL bottle and the following two times from a 700ml bottle. This review is based on my tasting from the fourth tasting. If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

While the Yamazaki Distillers Reserve may not be the best Yamazaki I have tasted it is quite decent in it's own right.

What next?

Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve was introduced to replaced the distillery's 10 year old bottling, which has now been phased out. As of writing, it is the only member of their core range of single malts (Distillery's Reserve, 12yo, 18yo, 25yo) that you're likely to see (at least in the UK, probably everywhere on the planet) unless you dive into the world of whisky auctions. Even then, you're going to have to dig deep to obtain them. Such is the incredible demand for this brand and Japanese whisky generally.