Suntory Liquors Limited will offer a single malt whisky, Yamazaki 50 Years Old, for sale in a limited edition of 150 bottles. This super-aged whisky consists of stringently selected malt whiskies aged at least 50 years.
The stringently selected and evaluated malt whiskies in this latest edition of Yamazaki 50 Years Old are extremely rare, super-long aged malt whiskies aged at least 50 years. These malt whiskies are vatted to create a refined, complex, and delicate aroma and taste that might almost be called mysterious. A particular influence on the aroma are malt whiskies aged in Japanese oak (mizunara) casks, exclusive to Japan and now evaluated very highly, even overseas. Single malt whiskies using whiskies aged more than 50 years are extremely scarce worldwide, and preceding editions in 2005 and 2007 were so coveted by Japanese whisky fans that both sold out immediately after being released for sale.
This single malt whisky has the deep amber-red hue that comes from Japanese oak casks. Its rich, mature aroma calls to mind fragrant aloe wood and the sweetness of ripe fruit. In the mouth, it is vigorous and mellow, with a smooth, silk-like flavor, very faint smoke notes, and sweet, rich reverberations.
The characters for Yamazaki are carefully sandblasted into the surface of each crystal bottle, stroke by stroke. The mouth of the bottle is enclosed in Japanese paper.
After the war, the Yamazaki Distillery found it difficult to obtain material for casks. It therefore began to make casks with Japanese oak grown in Japan, using them to age whisky. Due to the nature of the wood, Japanese oak casks are prone to leakage, and wood selection and cask making presented a series of difficult challenges.
At that time, Japanese oak casks were not held in high regard among blenders, but with the passage of several decades, their aroma, which is reminiscent of sandalwood and aloe wood, is now earning high marks from foreign blenders and sophisticated whisky drinkers.
