Damn it! I’ve been sitting here writing this awesome Quick dram post, i was almost half way through when this devil of PC i have decided to restart itself all of a sudden! needless to say i had not saved my document, and now i have to write all of this post again. Now i need a double dram to calm down and start all over again. Don’t you hate it when this happens? Blasted Windows 7.
Oh well…
So, today i am going to review the Yamazaki Sherry Cask. I dig Japanese whiskeys, you all know it from my past reviews of Yamazaki (the great 12-year-old, and the sublime 18-year-old , which i cant get enough of and sadly don’t own a bottle of). It all started when i saw this new malt at the MoM site. The color, oh man! and the sexy label with those beautiful Japanese letters, i knew i had to try to sample this beauty. After i read my good friend Yossi’s Post (full of lust) and many tweets, i had to mop the floor with a towel , i was salivating like a hound! So, gladly after some time i did manage to get a wee sample of this nectar to sample before i decide to buy.
On top of being an ousted Peat-head, i am quite the Sherry lover too. I love them strong, powerful and sherried. Be it a good Glenfarclas (15,105 – soon to be reviews here, so watch this space!) or the Aberlour Abunad’h sherry monster. Sweet stuff.
I wont bore you with the facts and figures about Yamazaki, since I’ve done that already in my 12 vs. 18 post, so just a wee but of information about this bottling : This baby comes without age specifications but is supposed to include malt aged 12-15 years in first fill Oloroso Sherry Butts. First fill is good, as it imparts more of those sherry flavors i love and cherish so much. And of course, that color. so deep.
Ok, now that you’re probably salivating too with all those yummy introductions and superlatives let’s get on with the tasting notes. 1…2…3 – let’s start dramming!
The Yamazaki Sherry Cask , 48% ABV
Color: Dark Amber/Mahogany red. one word: Wow. two words : 1st fill Sherry butt (now that’s 3 words, i know but ..)
Nose: Starts Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. Then some serious coffee notes and dark chocolate come in. I have one word for you : PRUNES! , fruit compot with lots of prunes giving it that dark, sweet deep aroma. It reminds me of my Grandmother’s fruit ‘Kompot’ (a desserts made from boiling all sorts of dried fruit : Prunes,Sultanas, raisins with lots of sugar and spice, then served cold. I once had the pleasure of eating this dish in one of Israel’s top restaurants with some Champagne Sorbet on top. yumm.) but let’s get back to the nose , shall we? So we have Prune Kompot, Spice, Cinnamon. the works. Shabbat desert at the Jewish Shteitl.
Palate: Prunes attack here as well. The chocolate follows , then enters the sultanas, spices and burnt sugary finish. mouth coating, thick, viscous, powerful stuff. Yumm. This is a sherry done right. period.
Finish: Long finish, starting on dark chocolate, ending on prunes (sweet) and some Espresso notes (bitter). Bitter-sweet symphony.
Summing it up:
I have only one question. Why do i have such a small sample. I want, no I NEED a bottle of this nectar. It’s just about as good as a sherry cask can get. It’s thick, It’s lovely, it’s sweet, yet not too sweet. It’s got a great body. The color is to die for. The nose reminds me of my Grandmother’s cooking, so what else can one expect from a dram? At 48% it’s perfectly bottled as to get that “punch”. Those guys at Suntory-Yamazaki know their work, and boy do they make good whiskes. Wow.
I am told only 16,000 bottles of this nectar of the gods were ever made so I’d better hurry up and secure a bottle of this or two for my bar. I need to have it. no other way.
Comparing this to the 18 year old, i do think it’s much more Intense, viscous and comforting. Both are great, so i would have to say, i can’t say i like one above the other. For colder nights, to warm up your soul and lift your spirit. Yamazaki, you did it again.
Slainte!
As always a very nice review Gal! Yes, this is an uber-sweet one and actually reminded me of a sherried bourbon (if there were such a thing). I LOVE the color and it’s even sexier in person. This will most likely be my dram of the night.
As always a very nice review Gal! Yes, this is an uber-sweet one and actually reminded me of a sherried bourbon (if there were such a thing). I LOVE the color and it's even sexier in person. This will most likely be my dram of the night.