While paying a little visit to the Yamazaki Distillery Museum I had the opportunity to sample 3 of their fantastic whiskies - The Yamazaki Limited Edition 2022, Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2022 and The Yamazaki 18-Year-Old Single Malt.
The Yamazaki Limited Edition 2022
The Yamazaki Limited Edition 2022 is a single malt, very oily and velvety on the palate.
It has 43% abv and, for me at least, it feels lighter than it actually is.
The pineapple is abundant in taste and smell.
A faded hint of smokiness and a tiny bit of ginger on the finish can be noticed. This could be explained by the fact that it is matured in Mizunara oak casks.
It improves once it's been outside/poured for a few minutes and has a medium finish with a lot of pear and vanilla.
A bottle of this delight is priced at around £750. I fully understand why.
Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2022
Hibiki Harmony Blossom 2022 tastes and smells fresh with a lot of vanilla and quite a flowery aroma.
It has 43% abv and a very long finish with a sweet aftertaste, reminding me of perfume, but in a good way.
It has a bit more bite in the finish than I expected, with quite a gingery taste.
A bottle of Hibiki Harmony Blossom is priced at around £200.
The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt
The Yamazakai 18-Year-Old Single Malt is full-bodied, strong but pleasant on the palate.
A lot of prunes and maybe toasted grains in the first sip with a bit of grape and maybe a hint of citrus.
It has a nutty finish, long and delightful.
It won gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Simply put, it's an excellent whisky.
In the UK it is priced at around £900. Again, I can see why.
All 3 whiskies are beautiful in their own unique way, and that's something I truly love about Japanese whiskies.
If you happen to be in Kyoto, please make sure you pay a visit to Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Museum and/or the Distillery. It is highly worth it.
Have you ever tried any of these whiskies? If so, let me know what you think about them in the comments below.
As always, please drink responsibly.
I hope life is treating you well.
Take care.