The New Yamazaki Bottle Should Be on Every Whisky Drinker's Bucket List

Japanese whisky is already some of the most sought after liquid on the planet today。Yamazaki酿酒厂的新秋季释放可能会膨胀更多。10月，这家总部位于大阪的生产商发布了其Mizunara Cask 2017 Edition，该版本在日本橡木中播放了不少于18年。这标志着美国在美国的首个装瓶，新闻专门与Food & Winereaders.

The primary point of distinction in Yamazaki’s latest offering stems from the barrels in which it matured. Mizunara casks are built of Quercus mongolica, an oak found in the dense, old-growth forests of Hokkaido. They unfurl a unique, native风土upon the whisky they hold; shrouded in cedar, coconut, and sandalwood subtleties. “I wanted to reveal the whisky’s soul that is the art of Mizunara,” explains Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo. “A heightened sense and awakened palate engaged through aromas and flavors never known before.”

These nuances—which take years to develop—are owed to an oak unique for its high moisture content and porous grain structure. Paradoxically, those very same characteristics also make Mizunara particularly problematic for long term whisky storage, as they leave it prone to leakage. Most whiskies that come in contact with the wood only do so for a few months, failing to awaken to their full potential. Incredibly rare is the whisky that matures entirely in Mizunara. And exceptionally precise is the craftsmanship of the barrel that holds it.

Yamazaki Barrel制造商自1930年代以来就与木材合作，随着时间的流逝，如何识别木桶结构的理想橡木：多孔谷物较少，通常来自200岁以上厚实的树木。然后通过数十年来填充完整的船只的缓存。有时，它会投降一分钟，将其与更传统的雪利酒和波旁威士忌酒的威士忌融为一体，以形成该品牌的单一麦芽范围。但是，Mizunara Cask 2017版是美国饮酒者首次必须考虑日本橡木成熟的复杂性。

To achieve optimal balance, Fukuyo sampled hundreds of Mizunara cask spirits, introducing into the blend a small portion of liquid upwards of 50-years-old. The result is a sip-able showcase of truly indigenous craftsmanship. But the experience won’t come easy.

“It will be hard for people to find the product,” warns Senior Brand Ambassador Gardner Dunn. “We would suggest contacting retailers that carry rare and limited edition whiskies and ask if they plan to sell any bottles.” A lucky few will encounter a bottle at retail for around $1000. As a point of reference, the brand’s previous limited edition, Sherry Cask—which helped shift single malt’s center of gravity from Scotland to the Far East—fetches three times that amount on the secondary market.

Your best bet is to hunt it down by the dram, behind the bar at a premiere drinking venue. Locations that plow thru hefty allotments of Yamazaki’s flagship bottles are more likely to be rewarded when limited editions become available. So don't be deterred by the challenge. Whisky appreciation can be a cruel mistress, but there is always thrill in the chase. And procuring that one perfect pour can make even decades of patience seem well worth the wait.