Single Malt Bordeaux Wine Cask (((Bottled 2020)))
⏳ Drinking Window
As a highly stable, premium single malt whisky, it is ready to enjoy immediately upon release and will remain in pristine condition indefinitely when stored upright away from direct sunlight.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich dark chocolate desserts, roasted duck breast with cherry reduction, or aged blue cheeses.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from Japan's oldest malt distillery founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, the Yamazaki Single Malt Bordeaux Wine Cask 2020 Edition represents a masterful cross-cultural marriage of Japanese whisky craftsmanship and French viticultural heritage. Situated at the convergence of three rivers at the foot of Mount Tennozan, the Yamazaki distillery benefits from a humid, misty microclimate that accelerates wood interaction. Distilled from 100% malted barley, this liquid was matured exclusively in French oak casks previously used to age red Bordeaux wines. This specific wood treatment transforms the signature Yamazaki profile of tropical fruit and sandalwood, layering it with rich notes of black cherry, dark plum, sweet wood spice, and a velvety, dry cocoa finish that pays homage to Torii's early 20th-century experiments with European wine casks.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1923 by Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii with technical assistance from Masataka Taketsuru, Yamazaki is the pioneer and foundational benchmark of Japanese whisky. Situated southwest of Kyoto at the foot of Mount Tennozan, the distillery occupies a tranquil river valley where the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu rivers converge. This geographic setting engenders an enduring misty microclimate, significant seasonal temperature variations, and access to exceptionally pure, soft subterranean spring water historically lauded by tea master Sen no Rikyu. Uniquely engineered to function as a self-contained ecosystem of distinct styles, Yamazaki employs diverse fermenters alongside pot stills of varied shapes, sizes, and condensation configurations. Its maturation program is celebrated for its virtuosic wood management under Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo, incorporating American oak ex-bourbon barrels, Spanish oak sherry butts, and rare indigenous Mizunara Japanese oak. The resulting single malts, led by the flagship 12, 18, and 25 Year Old expressions, are distinguished by sandalwood spice, dried fruit complexity, and aristocratic balance.