First Impressions
Yamazaki 12 is the bottle that introduced the world to Japanese single malt. Released in 1984, it remained largely unknown outside Japan until it began sweeping international awards in the 2000s, and today it is the benchmark by which every other Japanese single malt is measured.
Distillery & Heritage
Suntory's Yamazaki distillery, founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923 in the wooded valley between Kyoto and Osaka, is Japan's oldest malt distillery. Master blender Shingo Torii built the 12 Year Old from a marriage of American oak, Spanish sherry oak and the prized Japanese mizunara casks.
Tasting Notes in Detail
The nose is gentle and orchard-fruited, with peach and apricot lifted by coconut and a faint temple-incense note. The palate is silky and elegant — stone fruit, soft sherry sweetness, malty depth and that hallmark sandalwood spice.
Verdict
Yamazaki 12 is restraint as an art form. A modern classic.
