Suntory Yamazaki 18 Year Old

This has been a favourite of mine for quite some time. It has been matured in a complex mixture of casks including ex-sherry, ex-bourbon and mizunara oak.

The nose has got a heavily sherried profile. Wow, this is a good start! There is marzipan, dark chocolate and whiffs of rubber (but in a good way).

The palate is full-bodied and rich, first of all with very pronounced sherry notes. Later there are dried fruits such as raisin and figs, also orange peel and a hint of smoke. Fantastic!

The finish is very long and warming. After a while there is an enormous bouquet of dried fruits and chocolate, followed by a whiff of smoke.

This is a seriously sherried malt with a lot of character and complexity - a fabulous whisky in my opinion. Too bad that it is rather expensive both in Japan and in Europe. Nevertheless this has become an integral part of my whisky cabinet.

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