First Impressions
Yamazaki 12 — from Japan's first whisky distillery, established in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii on the outskirts of Osaka. Torii's vision was to craft spirits suited to the Japanese palate, and he chose the site for its climate and soft water. The 12 Year Old was introduced in 1984 and remains a cornerstone of the range.
The Mizunara Factor
Matured in a combination of American oak, Spanish Oloroso sherry, and the rare Japanese Mizunara oak. Mizunara is notoriously difficult to work with — porous, prone to leaking, slow to impart flavour — but it contributes a distinctive spicy-sweet, floral character (lavender, incense, sandalwood) found nowhere else in the whisky world. This is what makes Yamazaki unique.
Tasting
Tropical fruit nose with pineapple and coconut. The palate is smooth and elegant — honey, vanilla, melon, hazelnut, with the Mizunara oak adding lavender and incense notes. The finish is clean with honey-sesame and soft oak tannins. Refined and precise.
The Verdict
Yamazaki 12 earns an 8.5 — a landmark Japanese whisky that deserves its reputation. At £130, many find it overpriced relative to comparable single malts, but the Mizunara oak character is genuinely unique. Japan's first whisky distillery, still setting the standard a century later.
