First Impressions
Created in 2014 by chief blender Shinji Fukuyo, Yamazaki Distiller's Reserve was Suntory's response to the global shortage of aged stock.
Distillery & Heritage
The whisky is a marriage of malts aged in Bordeaux wine casks and Spanish sherry butts, with a small but crucial component of mizunara-aged Yamazaki bringing the signature Japanese oak character.
Tasting Notes in Detail
The nose bursts with red fruit — strawberry, cherry, raspberry — over soft vanilla. The palate is plush and jammy, with sherry sweetness, gentle spice and that faint mizunara sandalwood lifting the back end.
Verdict
A genuinely lovely Yamazaki at a far more accessible price than the 12.
