Yamazaki 12 Year Old

The Toyota of whisky but priced like Benz. Easy, smooth, consistent and reliable to the point of flawless. Don't expect to it to knock Ur socks off. During my whisky infancy days, I simply adored. As time goes by my palate has grown and became more demanding. Give me a Springbank Cask Strenght 12 anytime(half price). Now this is what I called a whisky that over delivered in spades.

22nd November 2019

Absolutely blinding. Finished it in one evening. My wife left me but to be honest I still feel elated two days later.

17th November 2019

I had it a few jazz clubs in Japan.
Best Scotch I’ve ever tasted.
Sad when got back to San Francisco
And could not find it.
One day in a small wine store I mentioned Yamazaki 12 and he went in the back room and brought out a bottle. $120.
I have been nursing it but always looking for another bottle.

28th October 2019

Excellent for Sipping, Aroma, smoothness on the palette and the finish is perfect. My go to standard. Hit it with a very small splash of water.

10th September 2019

Got some as a christmas present and was sceptical of a Japanese produced whiskey, however i was pleasantly surprised at the slightly coconut nose and the smooth caramel like finish. All in all excellent.

6th August 2019

Wow this was so smooth! I was very happy with the choice

27th July 2019

Found a bottle at a great discount and found it to be a let down. Too smooth and boring.
Even saving $30 off other stores I can find equal if not superior aged Scotch for less money.
Just didn't do it for my taste

8th July 2019

On the rock and a little slice of lemon, you never stop until it finished. Best of the best , 5 stars for sure !

31st January 2019

Amazing Whisky! Even my wife whom doesnt even like whiskey loves it!

26th December 2018

I just sampled this head-to-head with Aberlour's a'bundah and for me the Aberlour was clearly the winner ...and at half the price. Back a few years Yamazaki 12 was same price range as other good 12yr scotches and tasted like one. It still tastes good with its sweet floral notes but one has to judge if this little extra is worth the price.

15th October 2018

Don’t need to say much....... Bloody good Whisky. Sad to say my bottle is now 3/4 empty!!! 😩

13th October 2018

This is the best whiskey I've ever.
The taste is similar spayside but even better than them.

16th August 2018

This whisky is perfect choice for the junior whisky lover, its very complexity, drink feels in a temple, love it. The price, whatever.

6th August 2018

I love Scotch Whisky but after have these Japanese Whisky (Yamazaki 12 / Hibiki 12 / Hibiki 17) the taste so Complexity than the Scotch. I'm wondering why they're all Sold Out quickly in Australia

1st June 2018

I love scotch whisky but they're not complexity like Japanese Whisky ( Yamazaki 12 / Hibiki 12 etc... ) now I'm wondering why all these Japanese Whisky Sold out quickly the whole worldwide

1st June 2018

A realy good experience. Sold out in Norway, had to go to Sweden to get it.
Worth the trip.

18th February 2018

Good, but not any better than the rest of the pack in the price range. There are in every good liquor store several scotches in the same price range, at least a couple of which will be better than the Yamazaki. That said, it is a good whisky, enjoyable to the nose and the palate. It lacks just a bit of fullness, however, necessary to move toward the front of the class.

27th December 2017

Excellent
Enjoyed it a lot but it has become too expensive.

26th December 2017

Simply doesn’t have the depth and range of flavor as most Japanese whiskies in the 75-125 price range. If you’re looking to try something new and have had all the others, it’s probably worth giving it a shot. But if you’re considering other Japanese whiskeys around 100, almost anything on that list would likely be more dynamic.

14th December 2017

The best of the best Never blend in be different

10th December 2017

The best whisky I have ever tasted. My favorite by far.

21st October 2017

Recently was introduced to this beauty and I must say, it does not disappoint! I originally thought Id try it and move on, Now I make sure to keep it in my cabinets. Quickly became a favorite of mine after just a few glasses.

7th October 2017

Best

4th October 2017

Awesome! I wish it cost as much as it used to ($60-$70 USD circa 2015). The media and hype (maybe justified?) has brought the price much higher these days. Very similar taste to the 18, although a bit more rough but not by much. Wondering if it was worth it to purchase the Yamazaki 18....Very balanced and rich. Full body, rich flavors, hint of vanilla, floral, nuts, and a tinge of spice. I wish it was kept a secret before the ratings...

24th September 2017

I only pour a tot on special occasions... I'm sadly running out of the nectar !!!!

9th September 2017

It is an enlightenment libation.

17th August 2017

Excellent exotic whisky

15th August 2017

Excellent exotic whisky

17th July 2017

Gents, at this price? Think how many great 18, and 21 year old scotch can you get at this price range. I try this 12 and the reserve. Neither one impress me, so I'm out, at list of this one.

26th June 2017

Nice

23rd June 2017

Japanese whiskies are overrated

19th May 2017

In my opinion, this is overpriced and overrated.
I found it very nutty, oily and oaky. I did not find tropical fruits. I found oranges but the nutty and oakiness just overpower it.

17th May 2017

First, let me say that when handed this I was shocked as to how good it was. It was full bodied and flavored and tasted deeper than the average many 15 year olds. But the pricing model has made it not-affordable. Just a few years ago this could be found in NY for $40 and in CA for $30. Even in 2016, around $60 in NY - suddenly, the price has shot up and is selling at crazy numbers. I can't imagine that the average scotch drinkers can afford this anymore and they won't be losing market share. Which is too bad.

4th May 2017

I had it a taste of it recently during a stay in Hiroshima , brilliant Malt , I liked it's sweet palate ,soft fruits and the smoky taste . The price was good too at about 5€ a generous one .

12th April 2017

Sampled it last month in a hotel in Kyoto at 500 yen a glass about £3.70 GBP (serious measure too !!) superb whisky and at an unbelievable price !

12th April 2017

The best Whisky Ive ever had!

7th April 2017

Lived next to distillery

15th March 2017

Amazing!

11th March 2017

Had a bottle of this a few years ago at a much more reasonable price and thought it was good.
Now, I've been lucky enough to have been given another and thought I'd review it...
If it cost the same as some standard issue Scottish 10-14 year old whiskies then I would say it's decent offering but for me it's no way near as good as the much more subtle yet elegantly satisfying Hakushu Distiller's Reserve.

Good appealing nose, nice unimposing, sightly sweet flavour but slightly too much burn and nothing particularly interesting coming through.

To me, it's overpriced fairly decent generic whisky.

22nd February 2017

Most beautiful whisky

25th December 2016

Excellent and smooth whiskey. Definitely one of my favorites. Wish one day I'll get a chance to try the 18yr & the sherry cask!!

19th November 2016

Japansk single malt som luktar citrus, blommig karaktär av det bättre slaget, sälta samt lätt doft av tropiska frukter.
I överlag måste jag säga att jag blev ganska besviken med tanke på vad jag tyckte om distiller’s reserve så förväntningarna var höga men helt klart godkänd doft i alla fall! (den här luktar mer åt det maltiga hållet)

Smak: Blev chokad över hur spritig den var, inte det värsta jag känt men hade räknat med noll?! Kryddig i smaken och en ganska god eftersmak av tropiska frukter som dör av ganska snabbt. Blir diss på denna!

15th November 2016

Really is excellent. My wife searched for a bottle for me for quite some time before finally getting a bottle from Master of Malt. It's not in stock often and is hard to get any where else. There is a reason for that. Get a bottle when you can you won't be disappointed!!!!

28th October 2016

Sorry, forgot to include the rating in my first review. Tasted this at the distillery along with several Hakushu and the Yamazaki 18 and 35 year (and the of the dial Sherry Cask, which I did see for sale at several thousand dollars the bottle). The Yamazaki 12 year is the best single I can afford, not quite the complete package that the 18 year is. Some of my companions preferred The Hakushu 12 year. Even the distillery is no longer selling these, but I tracked some of both down in a larger outlet in Kyoto (who also had the aforementioned bottle of Sherry Cask), so worth searching if you want some at less than museum exhibit prices.

12th October 2016

Visited the Yamazaki distillery, tried a number of offerings including 35 year and the amazing Sherry cask. The 12 year is not quite the complete package that the 18 year is, but the best single malt I can afford. BTW at the time of writing you could no longer get the 12 year, even at the distillery, but I tracked down a few bottles at a larger outlet in Kyoto at a price I was ok with, brought them home along with a couple of The Hakushu 12 year, that some of my fellow tasters at the distillery felt was superior. Will do a bit of sampling once I'm over the jet lag.

12th October 2016

Received as a birthday gift from my wife and I must say it is truly amazing one of the best i have tried

4th September 2016

I've had a chance to try a number of Suntory whiskies, Yamazaki 18 and 12 years old being among them, and, reluctantly, I have to say most of their expressions feature a slightly smoky palate with an incredibly oaky and dry finish. I had been expecting a more profound experience, but having tasted the 12 year old Yamazaki, I'm not sure it is capable of giving decent, oaky Scottish malts a run for their money. The price tag certainly makes me lean more towards bottlings such as the 12 YO Edradour or the 12 YO Cardhu.

23rd August 2016

The best, mmm love it, smooth, delicious, with charakter.

28th July 2016

This is truly a treat! Nose is off the charts. Fruit, caramel. Flavor is just as amazing. A must have.

25th July 2016

This is superb. Slowing going missing in the market thus high price. One of the best single malt. It is a vintage.

25th July 2016

Nose: fruit, figs, almond, tropical fruits

Taste: subtle spice, Sweet, a tiny bite.

Finish : medium & warming

Average in my humble opinion since it's a very expensive comparatively

16th July 2016

Was worth it when I bought it for $60 US but at over $100 its tough to say that its worth it. But Yamazaki is through the roof so that's about right.

8th July 2016

This is almost double the price than distiller's reserve and you just have a touch of the good tastes that the reserve got. You feel the alcohol way to much, it's not even close to it's little brother!

25th May 2016

Fabulous single malt like music to your mind n soul smooth n delicious prefer it to the Yamazaki 18 years

21st May 2016

This is a very tasty whisky and is very smooth. It is easy to drink and its aroma is delicate and lovely. For those who are interested in a nice whisky that anyone can drink try this one.

21st April 2016

An absolutely mouth watering nose of creamy nuttiness and fruit medley. This carries on wonderfully onto the palate with a clear Bourbon influence which is also obvious on the nose. A lingering fruit and oaky finish wraps things up perfectly. There's no smoke or peat just fruit and spice akin to the aforementioned Bourbons it so closely resembles. This is a textbook Japanese Single Malt. The only downside is the price which is way too steep at present. Luckily I had mine for just £35 from a good friend which is an absolute steal.

20th April 2016

First off I'll say that I found this much cheaper than others on here so I went in to to it a lot more open minded and with lower expectations. This whisky is fantastic. The nose is very sweet, with strong vanilla coming through. It is a very light whisky, and really shines neat. The finish is strongly reminiscent of bourbon, reminding me of Blantons more than anything else. Overall if you can find this for a good price, it is definitely worth adding to your collection.

16th April 2016

It was a good drink but I paid for fiddich 21, livet 18, macca 18, signet. get my point. hype and overrated is getting the price to increase. Crazy price. If can cut price by 30 % would have been 5 stars.

5th April 2016

Super smooth absolutely relaxing with sweet taste just got a bottle from Barcelona airport am treasuring it as not in stock must buy n must try stunning

4th April 2016

Japaner lägger verkligen ned sin själ i vad de gör och det lönar sig. Häll upp ett glas och tillsätt 3 isbitar så vaknar whiskyn till och bjuder på en doftsensation som Skotsk whisky aldrig kan bjuda på. Skotsk whisky är ju helt död, oavsett vad du gör.

9th March 2016

Quite enjoyed it, but like others have said for the price it's nothing special. Depressingly I found a bottle in my local alcohol shop in Portugal...€179 or roughly £140!!! I wonder when this hype over Japanese whisky will end?

28th February 2016

This is training wheels for Scotch.

22nd February 2016

Very smooth, well balanced, & tasty!

3rd February 2016

Dropped in one small ice cube, swirreled for several seconds and removed the ice cube. The smell of ripe bananas exploded and the finish reminded me of artichoke petals dipped in butter.Lovely!

3rd February 2016

a whiskey to savour a very good flavour profile

8th January 2016

Acquired this after all hoopla exploded about Suntory's Yamazaki (mainly due to the Sherry cask version). I generally drink single-malt Scotch and straight Bourbon and, mainly because I am research before you buy person, I have generally had a wonderful journey through the world of whisky. I can honestly say, this was the first time I have felt let-down by a single malt.

It's not that it's bad, it has an interesting and quite unique nose (which I think the MoM tasting notes are pretty on point about, though banana is the tropical fruit I think they are talking about) and the body is pretty full and substantial. That said, it isn't all that engaging and it feels muddled, with that banana stomping all over the short hints of sherry and citrus in the palate. That said, if you find the flavor profile interesting (and a lot of people do), then it would be easy to recommend at 40-50 dollars.

Which brings us to price: even if I loved the profile, the execution is too muddled and fuzzy (almost blended-malt like) to be even remotely worth 80-100 dollars they are now charging for the 12. At 40 bucks it'd be reasonable, at 80+ it's just plain overpriced.

30th December 2015

Me and my boyfriend have Been looking all over for this stuff..He loves this ...finally found a vendor I'm Miami.. So I'm driving down there from coconut creek tomorrow to get it. I will get him some for Christmas.

15th December 2015

The best whisky i've tried. My rank is 1 pl is yamazaki, 2nd glenlivet12, 3rd is chivas regal 12

4th December 2015

Just so smooth. Such a shame it's so hard to find these days.

18th November 2015

tried a bottle I recently bought from m,Chester airport , I found it quite smooth and it seemed taste differently on each taste but I was disappointed when it had gone although I would be happy to buy @ 40-50 quid anything more I think I would prefer a lagavullin 16 which I thought was a touch smoother .

23rd September 2015

I have tried a lot of Japanese whiskies and this one is totally overrated i have to say. It is unfocused, to much taste of alcohol and you get the impression it is not 12 years old at all. There are some nice fruity and spicy notes but nothing comes together the way it should be in a 12 yo. If you wish to explore Japanese whisky go with Nikka taketsuru 17 or Hibiki 17. They are very different from this one but much better and much more well rounded. No point in spending so much money when you can get a good glenmorangie for half or 2/3s of the price. The 18yo is very interesting on the other hand, a bit pricy though.

13th September 2015

Looks like Scotch Whisky, smells like it, tastes like it, but...all characteristics have been elevated a notch. I found it to be more intense in every category. I really like it.

31st July 2015

This is the most enjoyable single malt I have ever had. Why can't I find it anywhere now???

29th June 2015

Im a single malt scotch junkie through and through. this whiskey is in a different category. and I dig it. the color is nice med light Amber and it leaves oily trails on the glass if you swirl it. the nose is citrus through and through with notes of a sweeter fruit. you'd almost expect it to be a sugary drink from the nose.
the mouthfeel is surprisingly dry which I like. the finish is citrus. and tart and bitter and I mean that as a compliment. the flavor is subtle enough that if you enjoy it with different foods you might pick up different notes and flavors that you didn't notice before. my final verdict though is biased. as a stand alone whiskey I still prefer the unique taste of a peated scotch. but I've had peated scotch I like less than this excellent whiskey. cheers

28th June 2015

Had a sip in a bar and was hooked. expensive and difficult to find in the Philippines. found a dealer selling at equivalent of £65 and grabbed 2 bottles. I had the fortune of going to Jspan a few weeks later. Price there was equivalent to £42. I grabbed another one, the last one. even in Japan, they are hard to come by. I am going back in October and will probably get 2 or 3 more.

27th June 2015

Has a sweet flavor. This whiskey is more complex than any 12yr you can find. Step it up Scotland, you are falling behind

23rd May 2015

tried this today on one bar. Very good
End up buying for my friends as well.
Nice smell and taste

Loved it

23rd May 2015

I am just enjoying a first sip of this and think it is pretty good. I would say that I enjoy an 18 Glenfiddich, or even The Glenlivet 12...even a Macallan for the price. Will definitely try more Japanese Whisky, but I wouldn't say I am going to get another bottle of this stuff again.

It's good, but it leaves me wanting more after each sip.

17th May 2015

Tried this one a couple of years ago and just didn't "get it". Nice whisky for sure, but tasted like a fairly standard/light Highland malt. Nothing for peat-heads obviously, but very understated generally. A good honest malt but not in a hurry to buy one even when it cost £35.

2nd May 2015

This is absolutely World class! It just couldent be better. Try it and enjoy Japanese perfection.
If I were a Scot I´ll be worried....

29th April 2015

Very good

28th April 2015

Köpte som prov, då jag ledsnat på de lite tråkiga skottska. Sedan dess köper jag endast Japanskt. Japanerna håller en grymt hög klass som på det mesta det gör.
De som inte provat Japanskt har inte druckit Whiskey (citat från min 91 årige far).

15th April 2015

Rich smokey smooth.

5th April 2015

Love this one. Perfect with chocolate.

30th March 2015

Palate palate, palate, zing top end register explosion of grapefruit and orange.

24th March 2015

We ate chocolate right before tasting this. So, we didn't get much citrus, we mostly got chocolate.

20th March 2015

Smooth and well rounded. Alcohol content is there but not over whelming. First shot OTR, but i am getting a little butterscotch on the back end. I have spent 6 months with JW Platinum, this is parallel or a little finer. Who would have thought "Booze Traveler" would accomplish anything? Well it has. Nice job to the show and especially the distillery.

27th February 2015

You guys weren't joking about the tropical notes... Bang on the money with that tasting note.

14th February 2015

first, I don't like the taste of Scotland scotch. Yamazaki has a flavor all its own. My daughter is in JET (Japanese assistant English teacher). She bought me home a bottle for Christmas since all her Japanese friends love it. Count me among them. Totally unique flavor, in no way scotch like. Fabulous taste, 2 shots = a nice buzz. She's definitely got to send me some more. If you haven't tasted this you're in for a big surprise. Who would have thought that anything besides good sake would come out of JApan ?

21st January 2015

I've been wanting to try this for a while after tasting their Hibiki blend (which is delicious btw). Everywhere seems to be sold out or too expensive. I recently found three bottles in my local Tesco Metro for £40 a pop. I bought one, tried it, loved it and went straight back to buy the other two.

20th January 2015

Lucky me, my brothers brother in law cracked open a Yamazaki he picked up in Tokyo on x'mas eve. I was shocked after my first sip. There was no biting taste, very tasty and fruity with a long spicy finish. I searched all over Chicago and the answer was the same, out of stock since before Thanksgiving thanks to all the publicity. On a lark, I visited my neighborhood dram shop and they had it in stock. More surprising was the actual price, 30-50% below internet price. Needless to say I happily bought their entire stock and that of their sister store in the suburbs.

4th January 2015

there aren't words to describe this whisky. complex but smooth, classy yet down to earth, beautiful and tasty. all I could think of was this really cute girl next door that we grew up with. very pretty yet smart and well grounded. if you call yourself a single malt whisky drinker, then you better find a bottle yesterday. I can't say enough about this amazing dram. someone here said stock up, and I agree because prices on this whisky will only go up. the easiest 10 rating I have given.

25th December 2014

Living in Tokyo, I became a fan of Suntory Scotch for its smoothness and non-biting flavor. Yamazaki was not marketed then and I can only go by my favorite Suntory Reserve which was considered the distillery's premier brand. I did not realize Suntory whiskeys were available in the U.S. and bought an equally good substitute that comes closest to it : Chivas Regal. Since Suntory acquired Jim Beam, they are readily available and I bought a bottle last week. An amazing whiskey.

17th December 2014

I tried the Yamazaki 12 year old yesterday .The Blend is so wonderful and the taste savours in your mouth all the while.Very Light and simply beautiful for an enjoiable evening..Great Invention...

8th December 2014

Totally agree with the reviewer saying it could pass for an 18. I'm *currently* sipping it right next to an Aberlour 18 at double the price and it's almost identical (*slightly* more light-white-fruit and less heavy-red-fruit than the Aberlour in flavor profile, but only slightly; maturity feels identical). I've got a Balvenie 12 nearby and it's significantly more rough and less flavorful, yet more expensive than the Yamazaki.

19th November 2014

Stockpiling as I write..this is a wonderful whisky

7th November 2014

I'm a big fan of premium (Single Malt Scotch Whisky), this could definitely pass for an 18 year bottle of the good stuff...

7th November 2014

I am not a whisky drinker, and I bought the dram for my husband, but was then curious and had a sip. I actually liked it, and loved the fruity taste, the hint of almond and cinnamon. It had a nice "Christmas" flavour for my palate.

6th November 2014

As the title says, this is a wonderful malt whisky. I was surprised and disappointed when my wife bought me a bottle, until that is I tasted it. If you like whisky, you are going to love this.

3rd November 2014

A shame that it has risen by a tenner over the last couple of years... 25% increase.... really!?

27th October 2014

Great tasting and balanced whiskey. Very smooth. Definitely one of my favorite single malts

24th October 2014

I love it, hè is very soft, has his own taste and is one of THE greatest whisky's.

18th October 2014

There's absolutely nothing bad I can say about this one except it's maybe *too* flavorful. But even that...just marginally so. It *slightly* tastes more aperitif than a whisky should IMO, but maybe that's the future. The chocolate vaguely reminds me of the Bushmills 21 I once had, but more subtle. Me, I'll still take something a bit more malty like a Glen Grant or Old Pulteney. But this is still very good and worth a try.

9th July 2014

Loved it. Simple as that. Only one small negative, a bottle of malt is enjoyed before it is opened, so please don't put a cheap arse plastic top on it! This bottle is way too good and should have a cork to get that pop from opening.

30th April 2014

but i'm in no position for professional tasting notes. But is there anyone but me that get alittle maple hint on the nose?

15th March 2014

I can honestly say "I have never tasted a better malt than this 12year old".
I've tasted a lot of whisky's in the last 40 years, some harsher, some not so harsh,
Although not a connoisseur I know what I like, and this is it...

8th March 2014

nose is good but tastes bland to me my trip into jap whisky disappointing to say the least not a happy bunny.

14th January 2014

have purchased a 12 on recommendation of my wife and the staff in the Wine Shop - will be cracked open xmas eve i think - looking fwd.

21st December 2013

I bought this bottle a long time ago for a party, freshly opened i found this to taste very odd, it had a strong sweetness and taste of caramel and about an equally strong bitter tannin taste and this yielded some sort of flat taste curve of sorts. It didn't linger and you was left with just this dry tannin taste.
Now, however, it has been in the shelf for a few months at about 70% of content left and i tried this again last night and i must say i was very positively surprised, It have developed a very nice round sweet taste with some sort of vanilla mixed with some fruity jelly candy tastes and the nose felt very developed with first having very much orange peel -citrus smell where after the same jelly candy smell came about after a while.
Definitely one of my favorites now!

8th November 2013

Solid drop.

6th November 2013

Nice Change flora through the nose with some more exotic tones. Tastes rather good warmth again flora notes some honey sweetness and citrus,

Maybe nicer for the Money but nice stuff and worth a try.

Personally prefer the redbreast to green spot and glenfarclaas to dalmorre but great thing whiskey something for everyone...

6th November 2013

No whiskey cupboard should be without this Green Spot and Dalmore.
If you haven't tried these..... you are a cowboy!

1st November 2013

This is a really really good drop.

Great nose, good flavours citrus like and a very smooth jw blue eek finish..very good and 12 years old better than most double the age and the price a definite one to try in my book...

31st October 2013

Tried this recently at restaurant in SF and love the smooth refreshing taste. Hints of honey and vanilla. Nice to try something different apart from traditional single malts.

26th October 2013

Dats a nice drink

20th October 2013

This was the first whisky that opened my eyes to the wonderful world of single malts. Before this, I was in the obscure world of blends and the occasional Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12. I've never looked back ever since. I've had the likes of many single malts throughout the years and The Yamazaki 12 is still on my top 3 favorites in the 12 year range.

8th September 2013

REAL GOOD NICK FLAVOR AND NOTES. LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT YOU DO NEXT. THANKS YOU

5th September 2013

Smooth it's ok, yamazaki 10 is much better and the 18 is the best I've ever had, would not buy a bottle of 12 again

6th August 2013

Is it very nice whisky in around single malt ..it testy very good bit a sweetness .you can find out in kualulampor..Daikanyama

22nd July 2013

I purchase one just for tge fun of it because its japanese. But with all honesty this is one of those whisky thats hard not to RECOMEND who likes a fine drink. i mean very very fine whisky. You can call me biased but the yamazaki is one of the best whisky i ever tasted.

20th July 2013

Hi there, at the moment we are unfortunately unable to ship to Argentina, due to UK aviation regulations. However, we are working hard to find a solution, so do check our delivery page! --The Chaps at Master of Malt

24th June 2013

Hi made ​​shipments to Argentina. Regards Thanks

23rd June 2013

I was given a bottle of this for my birthday last week and I must say it it probably amongst the best malts I have EVER had the pleasure to enjoy.

Get over your parochial prejudice and give it a try . . . you won't be disappointed.

11th June 2013

Smooth is the word. And adding water, is a must to bring out the smells and taste. I recommend about 30-40% which is a tad more than for most.
The only objection is that it is a whisky intended for the broad audience and so the experience is a bit, well average.
Then again my taste is for the somewhat more smokey and with a tad more oomph.
It is a bit on the sweet side in my view. Then again you cannot go wrong serving Yamazaki to your guests after your finer dinner though.

31st May 2013

I picked up a bottle of this because it looked different. Couldn't have been happier I did! I will say (from my experience), adding a drop of water really adds to this. It settles it down and allows the smells and taste to develop. Try it and let me know!

13th May 2013

Smooth dram and very interesting experience from Japan.
Arigato Gozaimashita!

1st May 2013

I had a lot of expectations from this whisky, my gf got me a bottle for Christmas,it turned out I was mostly disappointed. The nose is really great,and there are some interesting notes but I found the palate very unrefined and with poor balance. A rough aftertaste that I did not appreciate at all. Did not taste smooth at all imo. Anyway I'll try to give another shot at Yamazaki with the 18 yo.

17th January 2013

Lovely smooth 12 yr old. Excellent finish, but have I gone mad. Dentist like numbness to follow.

16th January 2013

I found this is taste rather unrefined and very disappointing.

If you love a good single malt, this certainly isn't one.

Go for Aberfeldy 12 which is both cheaper and better than this one.

15th December 2012

The French and Italians didn't invent wine but became very famous for it, I suspect the same is happening with Japanese whisky.
The Yamazaki 12yo is very smooth and robust with spicy dried fruit and creme brulee on the palate.
Nikka whisky's Yoichi and Hibiki 12yo are very nice if you can find them.

31st January 2012

The French and Italians didn't invent wine but became very famous for it, I suspect the same is happening with Japanese whisky.
The Yamazaki 12yo is very smooth and robust with spicy dried fruit and creme brulee on the palate.
Nikka whisky's Yoichi and Hibiki 12yo are very nice if you can find them.

31st January 2012

This Japanese whisky is so smooth, with a hint of golden sweetness...Very nice !

23rd January 2012

what a wonderfull whisky. great on the nose and pallett, very moorish. cant rate this fine drop enough. so put your hand in your pocket and get some, you wont be disapointed.

27th September 2011

tried this whisky at a wedding i attended without ever hearing of it.. and i must so i love it.. will be purchasing a bottle after pay day.. worth £4.50 a shot that im paying currently

12th June 2011

can't go wrong with this one - will be trying the other japanese brands soon

13th April 2011

Tried this at Chisou (Japanese restaurant in London) - it is the only whiskey they stock and for good reason. It is incredibly smooth and delicious.

25th March 2011

i forgot to add the pretty little stars. Have 5 its lovely.

19th March 2011

It tastes much differnt than with ice from the spar than from ice from my mums house. other than that its a lovely rich flavour.

19th March 2011

Phenomenal! A great whiskey for the price. I like it as much as the Yamazaki 18, but it is quite a bit cheaper. Buy a bottle and you will know why the Japanese whiskeys are doing so well at international awards. Just so I don't sound biased towards Japanese whiskeys, I am drinking a dram of Highland Park 18 right now and enjoying it thoroughly.

17th February 2011