Suntory Yamazaki 12 Year Old

I had a bottle of Yamazaki 12 in my cabinet since a few months and i expected to taste it with Sashimi. Tonight I poured 3 cl in a classic malt glass and, at last, tasted it neat with some of those beloved japanese dishes and, well...I was a bit disappointed. I liked the very shy and delicate touch of smoke (can it even be called smoke ?) at the finish, but not much the citrusy bittersweet nose, that seemed to me a bit unidimensional, lacking in complexity. I had my first experience in japanese malt with Yoichi, and 15 years may be the favourite of my beginner cabinet, so i wanted to experiment a Suntory malt expression and was expecting something else. Something rounder if not smoother (Yamazaki is definitly a smooth whiskey)but i missed something... So I tried with a little help of an ice cube and... My ! Ice seemed to reveal this whisky instead of killing it, like it would do for a scottish malt. Still smooth, but with rounder fruity notes. My wife immediatly mentionned almond syrup (that we call orgeat in france)and i definitly agree, and still this light smoke mixed with summer fruits and almonds that reminds me a summer nightfall in the sunny south of France. Even the texture seemed creamier... I was stunned by this metamorphosis ! Is it to say that this whisky is, in a way, crafted for japanese serve or japanese taste ? Perfect mizuwari whisky ? I don't know, but all i know is that Yamazaki 12 on the rocks is a delicious relaxing and "gourmand" japanese malt.

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