Tasted #592: Yamazaki "Age Unknown" 30 Year Old (TimeforWhisky 10 Year Anniversary Dram)

Our second 10th Anniversary dram whisky comes from Japan…in the form of a 30 Year Old Yamazaki.

Hold up....Yamazaki? 30 Years Old? 

How often has someone told you they tried a 21 or 30yo Yamazaki, and you just know they meant Hibiki? I mean, apart from single casks, Yamazakis are usually always NAS, 10, 12, 18 or 25yo, right?

Generally, yes, but in 1989 a very limited Yamazaki "Age Unknown” was released, containing Yamazaki from the 1960s and bottled at 25 years old. 5 years later in 1994, a further 300 bottles were released with an extra 5 years maturation, making this 30 year old Yamazaki!

(You can tell these older 1994 bottles apart as they have the signature of “Keizo Saji” on the label - Suntory’s chairman).

WhiskyFun gave this a WF96 recently, a score very few whiskies achieve. With these kind of figures (300 bottles, released 28 years ago, WF96, WB94.67 etc..) I'd fully expected this to fall into the "whiskies Martin will never try" category...but then on a recent trip to Melbourne, the incredibly generous Deni Kay (@deni_kay) invited me around for an evening with he and his Old Master Spirits partner David (@whisky.nerd), where David kindly shared this. I wasn't about to say no! Absolute legends, both of these blokes. 

Yamazaki "Age Unknown" Keizo Saji Release (43% ABV, 30yo, 1 of 300 bottles, Japan, Price: lots and lots and lots, if you could even find a bottle)
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Colour: Deep rich gold.

Nose: Instantly, I get Golden Rough chocolate (Aussie readers will know it) - milk chocolate with roasted coconut. Straight back to my childhood. That's followed up by creamy vanilla, sultanas, coffee grounds, aged honey, a humidor full of lovingly-aged cigars and a slight nuttiness (walnuts). It's like someone took all the best notes from a beautifully-aged, clean sherried dram, and all the best notes from a beatifully-aged Mizunara dram, and mashed them together. Simply stunning.

Palate: Mercifully, the nose is backed up by an equally complex and stunning palate. There's some spice initially, but it doesn't overpower (like it does in the 2014 Yamazaki Mizunara), and sits alongside more coconut, milk chocolate, sandalwood, nougat and honey in perfect harmony. Back in 2017 I wrote that the 2017 Yamazaki Mizunara 18 Year Old had one of the most incredible noses I'd experienced, but the palate didn't match it. In this Age Unknown, it does.

Finish: Long, very long (especially considering the 43% ABV), with coconut, sandalwood, mild woodspice, caramel and honey.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 95/100. Simply incredible. One of the greatest whiskies I've ever had. Anyone have a spare $40k AUD?

See you tomorrow for dram number 3!

Cheers,

Martin.

Launch of Yamazaki 18 Mizunara 2017 Edition (Tasted #380)

Last week we joined Suntory Whisky Global Ambassador Mike Miyamoto to launch the new Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 Edition in Sydney - the first commercial 18 year old Mizunara expression released by the distillery. It was certainly a truly remarkable and unique experience as the Simmer on the Bay precinct at Walsh Bay was decadently converted into the "House of Suntory".

The release of the Yamazaki 18yo Mizunara 2017 is particularly exciting given the upswing in Japanese whisky popularity over the past few years, the use of the rare Japanese Mizunara oak, and the fact that the launch was hosted by Mike Miyamoto, a veteran in the whisky industry (see here for our first event with Miyamoto-san back in 2014). With over 40 years working in the whisky industry including some time managing production at Bowmore and also at one point, managing Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries, Mike is a well-respected figure in the industry.

Mike welcomed us into the House of Suntory before describing the Suntory journey over the past three-generations and the true devotion of their Master Blenders in pursuing a truly unique and exquisite Japanese whisky. Part of such devotion included the craftsmanship in working with Mizunara, a delicate and rare Japanese oak - and the highlight of this new release.

The use of the Mizunara is what makes this new release special. Whilst there have been Yamazaki Mizunara expressions released before, they were NAS, whereas this carries an 18yo age statement. That's no small feat, as Mizunara, as a wood, takes almost double the time to grow as compared to the more widely used American oak or European oak (Mizunara only reaches a sizeable diameter in width after a whole century), and is notoriously difficult to work with, due to its porous nature.

Due to the demanding nature of Mizunara, it had taken Suntory's coopers many years to perfect the cask-making techniques. The wood is only found in a few regions in Japan and is branchy, inter-twined and permeable in nature - all characteristics that make the wood hard to shape and join with precision. As a result, Mizunara casks can often leak and it is only through perseverance and years of trial and error that Suntory coopers have mastered the art of Mizunara cask making.

As a result, comparatively, the difficulty that comes with Mizunara cask making puts the cask at a premium over other cask types including quality sherry casks that already command a relatively high premium.

On the night, a Mizunara tree was showcased through a digital projection, and described by Mike with a short animation to illustrate the tree's journey over the four seasons.

Suntory’s Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo stated “I wanted to reveal the whisky’s soul; that is, the art of Mizunara – a heightened sense and awakened palate engaged through aromas and flavours never known before. Encountering it should be a moment of epiphany”.

To showcase how Mizunara affects the overall taste profile, Mike led a tasting of three distinct Mizunara cask samples; a 5-year-old Mizunara (distilled in 2013), a 15-year-old Mizunara and an old Mizunara that had been distilled in 1969. The youngest Mizunara was pulled into the mix to showcase that Mizunara provides little to no influence in the first few years. Contrasting that with the oldest Mizunara, one that was distilled in 1969 which was described by Mike as rather oaky and with notes of nail polish, varnish and bitterness. Finally, of the three, the 15 year old was the one that had the best balance, with creamy, elegant, fruity and incense notes.

The three samples were chosen to illustrate the fact that Mizunara not only is a difficult wood to work with, but is also quite delicate and the cask can take years to successfully influence the whisky, to achieve a result that is not too soft nor overly oaked.

The new Yamazaki 18 Mizunara 2017 edition has been released to celebrate such craftsmanship as well as the essence of the noble Mizunara. At 48% ABV, the new release is a blend of single malts that have been aged entirely in Mizunara casks for at least 18 years (and in some cases, apparently, up to 50 years) The result of the Mizunara maturation gives the resulting whisky uniquely Japanese characters; distinct spices, incense like aromas and sandalwood notes.

Presented in a wooden box crafted from recycled Suntory casks, the new Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 will be available to purchase from select retailers for $1,400AUD. The allocation for Australia is less than 200 bottles (of the 5000 bottles available globally), including many for on-premise, and sadly has been fully allocated.

Thanks to Liquid Ideas and Beam Suntory for having us at the launch. 

Unfortunately, due to battling a cold and a reduced sense of smell / taste on the night, my tasting notes didn't quite do the whisky justice. Luckily Martin also recently tried it, and has included his thoughts below...

Yamazaki Mizunara 18yo 2017 Edition (48% ABV, 18yo, Japan, ~$1,400AUD but good luck finding one for that price now, sadly)
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Colour: Burnished copper-gold.

Nose: Sandalwood at first then hints of (sweet, dessicated) coconut - the mark of a good Mizunara-aged whisky in my opinion. Then some cherry-chocolate - Cherry Bounty Bars! As the minutes go on, the coconut increases, and after 10 or so monutes, there's some noticeable spice - cinnamon and paprika.

Palate: Creamy at first, quickly followed by an oaky fruitiness - slightly tropical, with lots of coconut, perfume, but still lots of oak spice, which at times can almost overpower the other notes. There's some mango and peach, and after letting the glass sit (covered) for 30minutes, there's noticeable sweet coconut milk chocolate, and a seemingly more mellow overall mouthfeel.

Finish: Medium to long in length, with sandalwood spice, pencil shavings and a little tannin.

Rating (on Martin's very non-scientific scale): 92/100. Look, I love a good Mizunara-aged whisky, and this definitely falls into that category. The nose is outstanding. Beautiful, complex, changing...one of the best noses I've found on a whisky in a while. The palate, whilst certainly not a let-down, just doesn't live up to the nose unfortunately, with a little too much spice and oak. Overall though, a very very good whisky, but not the best Yamazaki we've tried (that honour would go here), nor the best Mizunara-matured Yamazaki. Interestingly, the "amazing nose, palate not as great" assessment is similar to what I said about last year's massively popular Yamazaki release - the 2016 Sherry Cask.

Cheers,

Hendy & Martin.

Bowmore Mizunara Hong Kong Launch Dinner at Lobster Bar & Grill (Tasted #229-231)

Last Tuesday was a pretty huge day for the whisky scene in Hong Kong. Not only was it the launch of the Chivas Regal Icon, it was also the HK launch of another rare, limited, and highly sought-after Scotch whisky. A certain Islay single malt (with Japanese heritage) which has garnered more than its fair share of discussion throughout the past few months....

I'm talking of course about the Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish, which is now available (in extremely limited numbers) in Hong Kong. So limited in fact that it's only officially available from one place - Island Shangri-La's excellent Lobster Bar & Grill, which was recently voted 18th best bar in the world).

I have to say, I like the approach Suntory, Lobster Bar and distributor Asia Euro Wines & Spirits have taken with this whisky. Whilst the bar are selling whole bottles (at approximately $11k HKD), they're also selling the whisky by the dram (at approximately $700HKD for a 45mL pour). That might seem like a lot, but when you consider the price these retailed for in the UK, Hong Kong's 100% spirits tax, and the price they're now fetching at auction (and most likely going unopened), the pricing is actually pretty reasonable in comparison.

Asia Euro Wine & Spirits were kind enough to invite me to an intimate dinner to celebrate the launch recently, held (of course) at Lobster Bar & Grill. Beam Suntory's International Brand Ambassador John Cashman was in town for a flying visit, and gave his time to attend the dinner and talk us through the range of whiskies we'd be trying, including:

• Bowmore 12 year old
• Bowmore 18 year old
• Bowmore 23 year old Port Cask
• Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish
• Bowmore 25 year old

Having rated the 23yo as one of my absolute favourite drams of 2014, I was excited to be able to taste it again (along with the star of the show of course).

After a cheeky 23yo Port Cask to start the night (someone opened it - it would've been rude not to...), a delicious Bowmore Darkness 15-based whisky sour (with a sea salt rim - genius) and a chat with the affable Mr Cashman, we took our seats to survey the menu, consisting of:

• Cancale oyster with salmon roe (Bowmore 12)
• Assorted mesclun salad, avocado, beetroot and smoked salmon (Bowmore 18)
• Pan-seared sustainable sea bass, young spinach, clams and oyster leaf (Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish)
• Parmesan Cheese with fresh fig (Bowmore 23 Port Cask and Bowmore 25).

I'd tried Oysters with Islay whiskies before, and always found them to be a good match, but had never tried the "Oyster Luge", which involves pouring a small serve of whisky into the oyster shell, and letting it flow into your mouth (luge-style) with the brine. Marvellous stuff - the dominant notes of the whisky (peat) and brine (sea) were both toned down, in favour of a deliciously smoky, slightly salty broth. Fantastic.

(Turns out Bowmore have illustrated instructions for how to do your own "oyster luge" on their website: http://www.bowmore.com/news/bowmore-oyster-luge/)

John then talked us through a little about the "Bowmore balance" (the philosophy that, unlike some other Islay whiskies, no one character dominates), and explained the influence of the sea air on Bowmore's famously maritime characteristics. Then it was onto the next course, with Bowmore 18. Smoked salmon and whisky is a hard pairing to get wrong, and this was no exception, with the complementary salty aftertaste of both the salmon and whisky working perfectly in tandem.

Next up was the meaty sea bass with the Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish. Cleverly, this was a brilliantly simple dish (yet simultaneously the best fish dish I've had all year), which allowed all the characteristics of the Mizunara Cask Finish to shine. Full tasting notes on the whisky can be found below, but this was an excellent pairing which gave the fish a slightly sweeter note.

Thankfully we were each served a generous pour of the Mizunara Cask Finish, which gave us a good opportunity to give the "Mizu" a thorough assessment independent of the food. John introduced the whisky, explaining master blender Rachel Barrie's dream to finish a Bowmore in Mizunara, and how it finally came true when the Suntory acquisition allowed the procurement of three Mizunara casks from Japan (which I'd guess came from Yamazaki). Even post-acquisition, with Suntory only producing 200 Mizunara casks each year, and the oak's notorious difficulty to work with (being quite porous and prone to leaking), this was an impressive feat to pull off. Bowmore from the 90s was left to finish in the casks for 3 years in Bowmore's No.1 Vaults, before being bottled at 53.9% and becoming the whisky were were about to try...

Now, there's been plenty said about the price, the age (supposedly between 15-25 years, but without any age statement on the bottle), the popularity at auctions etc... so I'm not going to discuss any of that here. What I will do is focus on the liquid itself...

...which I have to say, is absolutely hands-down stunning in every way. Suntory have made a lot of claims about this being the "best of both worlds" (Japan and Scotland) and it's absolutely true - the best characteristics of Bowmore shine through, as do the obvious (but never overpowering) Mizunara notes.

Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish (53.9% ABV, NAS, Islay Scotland, approx $11,000HKD / £650)

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Colour: Bright vibrant gold

Nose: Red apples, spice. Some desiccated coconut. Actually quite a lot of desiccated coconut. Sea salt.

Palate: Coconut, rice pudding, a hint of sea air. Hints of spice, hints of subtle peat smoke. Like a slightly smoky, coconut-dusted salted caramel macaron, with a little spicy honey on the side.

Finish: Long, some tropical fruits, salty, sweet, and still plenty of coconut (which for me, is a trademark Mizunara characteristic).

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 94/100. Simply stunning - well and truly the "best of both worlds" that Bowmore claim it to be.

A hard whisky to top, no doubt, but it was nice to know we still had two stunning Bowmores left to try....

Bowmore 23 Year Old 1989 Port Matured (50.8% ABV, 23yo, Islay Scotland, £347.30)
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An interesting release in that this isn't a finished whisky, but rather a whisky that has seen a full 23 years in exclusively an ex-port Cask. Not be be repeated for quite some time.

Colour: Copper, maple syrup.

Nose: Goji berries, leather, cherry pie. Creamy.

Palate: Rich and intensely creamy. Oily and syrupy. Noticeable fig notes, lots of plums and red berries. Slightly dry but not too much.

Finish: Long, sweet, stone fruits and maple syrup.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 93/100. I'm glad this is just as good as I remembered it.

Bowmore 25 Year Old (43% ABV, 25yo, Islay Scotland, $4,880HKD / £280)
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Colour: Coffee-copper.

Nose: Aged leather, lots of raspberry.

Palate: Thin initially (understandable given the previous two whiskies were 50%+). Brazil nuts and Christmas cake (obvious sherry influence here), some icing and some marzipan.

Finish: Marzipan, whole oranges and smoke right through to the reasonably distant end.

Rating (on my very non-scientific scale): 91/100.

..and with that, it was time to enjoy one more dram of the Mizunara Cask Finish and call it a night, having had a day and night of absolutely fantastic drams.

TimeforWhisky would like to thank Asia Euro Wines & Spirits Hong Kong, Beam Suntory, Lobster Bar & Grill and John Cashman for a wonderful evening, and the opportunity to try the incredibly rare Mizunara Cask Finish.
Cheers,
Martin.