Tag Archives: Effervescent

Refreshed, Springtime, Summertime, Suntory - Yamazaki, Takin' It Easy

Suntory Yamazaki 12yr – Is there anything the Japanese can’t do?

Japan – 43%ABV – 750ml –  $35-40 | £35 | €41

I bought my bottle of Suntory Yamazaki 12yr more a year ago (it is now gone, sadly) and I broke it out on rare occasions. Not because it’s the most spectacular dram but because it’s so very different than scotch and I’m not always in the mood for it.

Don’t get me wrong, this is some pretty impressive stuff and it makes me want to try more Japanese whiskies. I don’t drink it all the time but when I do, it makes my mouth happy.

Initial whiff — The stuff noses like my dad’s old bourbon (I always loved sneaking sniffs of my dad’s bourbons when I was a kids because it burned my nose and made me sneeze – ah, to be 8 again…). The stuff has an initial bourbon-y element, some sour corn and alcohol. Followed by some honey and dried fruits. Like a scottish bourbon if there were one.

On the mouth — Smooth honey and drying oak. This is one of the driest single malts I’ve ever had. This is a nice thing actually. Oh, some vanilla came through now, nice.  There is a cream soda element to it too (even feels a wee bit effervescent).

Finish — Dry & long. Honey and oak. The sour corn comes back too.

In sum — This is a huge bargain (in the US), well worth the $35 bucks or so that I paid for it.  Though this made me want to try other Yamazakis, the 18yr is about $100 and from what I heard, it’s just not worth the price.  Maybe I’ll find a swanky Japanese joint that has the 18yr and I’ll try it but $100 too much casheesh for me!!  Also, Yamazaki came out with a sherry cask see it here at Master of Malt (plug, plug).  The color on the sherry cask looks like the color of a nice 20+ year rum!

If you want to try some right quick (without buying a bottle), go to a Benihana’s (Japanese restaurant), they have it as a standard malt on their menu.

One thing that still throws me off is that this is not a corked bottle but a screw top. Strange but…cool. Arigato Japan!


Autumn, Cold Winter, Lagavulin, Need To Bundle Up

Lagavulin 12yr Cask Strength – 2009 Edition

Islay region – 57.1%ABV – cask strength – 750ml bottle – $55 | £58 | €68

The first whisky to ever hook me was the Lagavulin 16yr — and I have to say, all of the regulars in The Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society adore the Lagavulin 16yr; such a lovely dram. It reminded me of the first time I went camping with my father (25+ years ago, I was 11 or so) we had a warm campfire and were cooking baked beans in a can over it. This was the first night I ever saw the Milky-way without the obstruction of city/town lights – wondrous! We just hung out and watched the fire die to glowing embers & fell asleep.  That’s the feel of the Lagavulin 16 for me.

This 12yr is a little different, not as cozy and a little less natural. This is more like a lazer-light-show version of the Milky-Way, sans Pink Floyd.

Initial whiff — Lemon zest, oak, vanilla, and faint smoke. Salty & spicey, singed hair.

On the mouth — Bam!!! biting smoke, almost effervescent. A little melon perhaps and the smoke returns, oh, now oaky

Finish — Long, peaty, pleasing, seltzer type feel lasts for a while with lingering water doused fire flavor

Here’s where it gets weird – I never do this but, I added a little water because, WTF, right?

BAD IDEA! – Changes are as follows:

Initial whiff — spent rubber bands, burning rubber and a little vanilla, mostly the rubber bands

On the mouth — Mouth feel got real oily, but bad oily. Think bad vegetable oil. The flavor is almost like artificial rubber (isn’t rubber artificial? Imagine a fake version of that – odd!)

Finish — oiliness stays, so does the rubber but smoke comes to the rescue.

In sum — In the end, after water, I wanted to shave my tongue. Blech!  Without water – fabulous, with water – shaved tongue.