Single Malt Puncheon Single Cask 9C0004 19YO (((Bottled 2008)))
⏳ Drinking Window
As a fully matured, ultra-premium single malt whisky, it is ready to be enjoyed immediately. Distilled spirits do not mature further in the bottle, but when stored properly upright and away from light, this exceptional bottling will maintain its pristine quality and complex flavor profile indefinitely over several decades.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rich dark chocolate, slow-roasted pork belly, and aged hard cheeses such as Gouda.
✨ Technical Specifications
Established in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii near Kyoto, Yamazaki is the birthplace of Japanese whisky. The distillery's location at the foot of Mount Tennozan offers access to legendary soft mineral water, famously praised by the historic tea master Sen no Rikyu. This rare single cask bottling, Cask 9C0004, represents a 19-year maturation journey in a Puncheon cask. Puncheons, with their large capacity of nearly 500 liters, allow the spirit to mature slowly, absorbing delicate oak vanillins, orchard fruit notes, and gentle spice without being overwhelmed by wood tannins. This expression showcases Yamazaki's mastery of wood management and the unique microclimate of the misty Yamazaki valley.
🍾 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.