Yamazaki 18 availability...

The price does seem to have gone up...I bought a bottle about 6 months ago for ~$90, but it appears to be going for $130-$150 now. I wish I could advise on the quality of the whisky, but I haven't opened it yet.

The answer is really just a shortage of 18 year old stocks. The price went from just under £60 to over £100 almost over night here in the UK about 18 months ago. The Yamazaki has become very popular over the last decade and it appears that not enough was set aside in the past. The strength of the yen against the $ & £ also have to be taken into consideration. As to your question, is it any good. Yes, absolutely, its stunning. However, I personally feel it’s a little too expensive at the moment, but others are still willing to pay. If I were you I’d either try it in a bar or get a sample on line and make up your own mind. In my opinion, the Yamazaki 12 year old and Hakushu 12 year old are two of the best value for money Japanese malts around at the moment.

In TN and KY the price ranges from 116 - 149. Great stuff. My bottle is running quite low and is a definite re-purchase for me. Never had the 12 nor seen it for sale.

Same thing here in Belgium. I bought a bottle of it here over year ago for € 89 (what it's worth imo). Right now, it will cost you +/- 120 EUR. Which is way too much for me.

Bought my bottle of 18 a few months back at a local retailer for $95...yet to open. Larger retailers in the area have the bottle going for $140...seems standard now. Dunno how many 18yo whiskies are worth that price tag!

At the risk of creating some green-eyed monsters... here in Japan I am able to pick up the Yamazaki 18 for, I believe, about 7000yen...that's about 50$ Canadian! Yay!!

Wait... no... that's not right! That's about 80$ Canadian...

@CanadianNinja...that's still a 'yay!!' anywhere as I picked up a bottle over 8 months ago in Illinois for US$90. It is now unavailable at that store and every reference that I have since read seems to put it in the $120-$150 range...if you're lucky enough to find it. While my budget would prevent me from pulling the trigger on a 2nd bottle at that price, if you have the means, I feel that it is worthwhile even with the price increase.

I find it to be excellent quality (90+, possibly even borderline 95+) and the use of three different barrels gives it, at the very least, a very unique taste/aroma profile that will add to your general whisky education/experience/enjoyment. If nothing else, definitely try a dram from a friend's bottle or at a bar if you get the opportunity.

Anybody tried both the 12yr and the 18yr.... I would love to hear your thoughts/difference between the two.

@abunadhMatada I have both the 12yo and the 18yo and find the 18yo way too "woody" (and expensive).

@CanadianNinja if you can find it at that price id buy as much as you can. I just did a quick search on Rakuten and couldn't find anything cheaper that 16,000 yen.

CaptinTom, 16,000yen!!? Are you sure!? Wow... that... is shocking. Maybe I spoke to soon! To be perfectly honest it has been a couple of months since I've had it, but the last time I purchased a bottle was at a store called Big Camera and I'm certain I didn't pay much more than 7000yen for it! Big Camera, by the way, is an electronics store but it also sells liquor and usually at some incredible prices. Anyway after reading what you've posted I'm going to make a point to get out this weekend a check the availability/price.

You can't compare the two. The 18yo is great, the 12yo not so....

@CanadianNinja BigCamera is surprisingly well stocked on whisky, and the pricing not bad either. I'll stop by a store in a few minutes I'll have a look at what it says now. (I'm in Sapporo by the way) I haven't had the 18y old yet, have been saving that experience for the future.

Can't believe it! ¥20,800!! And it was sold out. I don't think it has been as cheap as ¥7,000 though, cause the 12yo usually goes for over ¥6,000 (maybe Hokkaido is more expensive, I don't know). But I remember looking at a bottle of 18yo last summer I think it was over over 10,000, but definitely not 20,000.

NilsG, that is absolutely shocking! 20,800¥!!?? As I wrote earlier, I too will be heading out this weekend and check the availability and price. I will say however, I lived in northern Japan for many years before coming down here to Nagoya and I have noticed that the availability of many bottles is better in the south, as well prices are sometimes a little better. Especially on non-Japanese beer! Many stores here in Aichi have much better prices on beer than what I was paying in the north.

As for the price I stated earlier 7000¥, it was around last summer that I picked it up. It was most definitely the 18 yo, I wouldn't confuse it with the 12 yo I assure you! And I believe at the time, I bought it when it was marked as a BigCamera 'ichiban susume' (number one recommendation) sale. In all fairness it is possible that I am mistaken on the price I paid, it could have been closer to 10,000¥... but I don't think so...

Anyway, again, 20,800¥!? That's crazy! It's a great bottle of whisky but not worth that price in my opinion.

p.s. NilsG... LOVE your picture! Great film. Great actor.

Ok... well I hit a few stores today in Nagoya and finding the Yamazaki 18 was no problem at all. A store which I mentioned earlier, Big Camera, had more than a few bottles in stock. I also found it fairly well stocked at a couple of other shops. However... NilsG was absolutely correct... 20,800¥!!!

I am seriously shocked. I haven't paid anywhere near that for the Yamazaki 18 in the past. I've read others state that the price has gone up so much because there isn't much left, so I suppose if you want to get some before it's gone you have no choice but to pay the price. But in my opinion... great whisky, NOT worth spending 20,800¥!

I have really been wanting to try a Japanese single malt for quite some time, this one sounds interesting! What are the main "characteristics" for Japanese single malt as opposed to Scottish?

Yeah, the 18 year has risen to $145 from about $90. Though, the 12 year, which I might prefer has fallen to $51 from about $60.

@Berg As far as Japanese malts go, to quote Ian Buxton: "Look out Scotland!... It's wood, Jock, but not as we know it."

@MCM Hmm... Interesting ;) I'm thinking of trying a Yamazaki 12 as soon as possible... I've heard good things!

@CanadianNinja Ok, I believe you. It's probably just me who need to find better places to buy my whisky...or move south. Either way I'm not paying that much for the 18yo, no chance. I'm going Nikka instead, better whisky, and way better price.