by Ken Gargett
There were a few teething problems when I first started compiling this piece.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old from Japan is a whisky I have loved every time I have had the chance to try it. The bottle I sampled for this piece was actually one from the back of the cupboard, which I have been sitting on for far too long. When a mate saw it, he implored me not to open it.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese whisky
“Way too expensive just to crack to drink,” he insisted, although I don’t buy bottles for resale so I have no idea what he was expecting me to do with it. As it has been with me for a long while, I would have picked it up when the price was still very reasonable, though I don’t recall exactly how much I paid.
Today, it is about AUD$350 (I would guess at least well over twice what I paid – it has risen more than 70 percent in the last two years and apparently is almost always sold at more than twice the producer’s recommended price, such is demand). Even worse, I recently came across a wine list in China offering a 30 ml glass for a mere $440!
But that is the problem across the board with Japanese whisky these days. Prices have gone through the roof.
There was a second problem. As soon as I started researching, I found numerous references to this Yamazaki being discontinued – many top Japanese whiskies have been, in fact, thanks to the shortages because of worldwide demand.
Non-age-statement whiskies have become much more common as, despite the construction of numerous new distilleries, they don’t have the necessary aged material and won’t for many years.
And if you think there is a problem now, the Rugby World Cup is about to kick off in Japan, bringing with it a great many well-heeled visitors who are expecting to drink and buy the best Japanese whiskies.
Even worse, next year Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympics. Stock up soon or say goodbye for many years.
The good news is that my information suggests that the Yamazaki 12-Year-Old has not been discontinued, but that does not mean it will not be in the near future.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese whisky
Suntory, the owner of Yamazaki and a number of other leading Japanese whiskies, has discontinued its Hibiki 17-Year-Old (which would have devastated Bill Murray’s character in Lost in Translation) and the Hakushu 12-Year-Old Single Malt.
Yamazaki did not release a limited edition for 2018, despite the huge popularity of these releases from 2015 to 2017.
#kenfessions: the author is a fan of Japanese whiskies
So with all that behind us, onward. No secret that I am a fan of top Japanese whiskies. Some may remember that we looked at a few of the astonishing whiskies from Chichibu, made by Ichiro Akuto. If any reader was interested, I hope you got in quickly.
Shortly after publication of that piece in May 2019, a full set of 54 bottles in Hanyu Ichiro’s Card Series, mentioned in the story, sold for HK$7,192,000 (just under a million bucks US!!).
Apparently, it was only one of four full sets remaining, although readers might recall that bottles from the series were known to languish on shelves for several years, considered almost unsalable only a few years before.
Yamazaki is part of the Suntory empire. Founded by Shinjiro Torii, it was Japan’s first commercial distillery. Opening way back in 1923 in Shimamoto in the Osaka Prefecture, the first whisky emerged in 1929, though to rather muted accolades.
The three core single malts in the range have been the 12-Year-Old, 18-Year-Old, and the 25-Year-Old, although it does seem that the 18-Year-Old is now on that dreaded discontinued list.
As much as I would have loved this to be about the 25, sadly none was to be found in the back of the magic cupboard. And with the price, if any was available these days, pushing AUD$6,000 a bottle, I am not holding my breath.
Yamazaki also does the occasional Sherry Cask, which was named in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible as the “World’s Best Whisky” in 2013; various vintage-dated whiskies; and, on occasion, others such as a 10-Year-Old and even a 50-Year-Old.
A bottle of the latter set a record price for Japanese whisky at auction last year in Hong Kong, topping $343,000 (the winning bidder remained anonymous). That whisky was originally released in 2005 at a price around $9,000, which probably seemed outrageous at the time.
It was limited to just 50 bottles and it is believed that the majority, which went to various local bars, were opened and enjoyed soon after they landed. A second release of a further 50 bottles was offered in 2007 and then, in 2011, a final 150 bottles.
The early releases from the distillery, labelled “Suntory,” were unashamedly attempts to replicate Scottish whiskies.
The first master distiller, Masataka Taketsuru, had trained as both an organic chemist and whisky distiller in Scotland (it is believed that part of this sudden and unprecedented demand for quality Japanese whisky came about because of a 2014 TV drama based on his life).
Success eventually came when Shinjiro Torii launched the Kakubin label in 1937. No Yamazaki whisky appeared until its first single malt in 1984 thanks to Shinjiro Torii’s son, Keizo Saji, the distillery’s second master blender.
In 1992 Suntory added the 18-Year-old, a Ten-Year-Old in 1995, and subsequently its 25-Year-Old.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese whisky
In 2003, the 12-Year-Old became the first Japanese whisky to win gold at the International Spirits Challenge. It was the start of a cavalcade of bling for its whiskies.
Yamazaki operates with both wooden and stainless steel fermentation tanks and uses different yeasts, depending on the final flavor profile the blenders seek. They use a dozen pot stills of varying shapes and sizes and a wide range of different oak for cask-ageing, including 180-liter roasted barrels, 230-liter hogsheads, American oak puncheons, Spanish oak casks, and even casks made from Mizunara (Japanese oak).
The 12-Year-Old matures in a mix of ex-Bourbon casks and American oak with a touch of material that has seen time in ex-Oloroso casks and Mizunara oak.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old: tasting notes
The 12-Year-Old is a wonderful whisky. Notes of honey, cinnamon, and peach with a hint of toffee. Complex. This is great stuff. The merest whiff of white chocolate. There is a notable spirity character, but it is so well balanced and delightfully smooth. Terrific length. For a score, an easy 96.
I love this whisky. What a sad day to have acknowledge that it is likely to be one of those spirits that have become a special occasion only! Perhaps my mate was right.
For more please visit www.whisky.suntory.com/en/na/products/yamazaki.
*This story was first published on September 17, 2019 at Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese Whisky: Why Pricing Has Gone Through The Roof.
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Chichibu Whisky: The Japanese Version Of Pappy Van Winkle
Lagavulin 16-Year-Old Whisky And Why Ron Swanson Was Right On The Money
Last Drop 1971 Blended Scotch Whisky: Is This The World’s Most Exclusive Whisky?
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This is crazy. Possible discontinuation because of high demand. Yeah, that makes sense. I imagine the scenario of trying to find a non existent bottle while admiring my manufactured scarcity, i.e., non-existent new model rolex submariner. Stupid on all accounts, dumb as can be, and not worth the time nor energy.
Ron, it does sound bizarre, but the reality is that you can’t sell something you don’t have. Demand has been such that supplies have been severely dinted.
These aged whiskies need the time. No way around that.
One alternative is simply to put sales on hold until you can build up supplies, which is exactly what I think will happen with a number of the ‘discontinuations’. So we will hopefully see a lot of these whiskies in the years to come, though it may take a while. The other problem is that the producers need to stay afloat while they build up stocks. Can’t afford to say that we will simply stop selling for a decade while we make more. A certain recipe for bankruptcy.
So it becomes a fine line and they need to release non-age statement whiskies to pay the bills. Which in turn means that they have to use the stocks they have. And around and around we go.
If anyone has any better ideas, I am certain that they would love to hear them.
You’re right. They will never stop, wait years and sell.
My conclusion is that they predicted it and have whisky aging for years by now. Now will they tell us? Hell no, it’s a business world.
Shall we move on for blends for now? Hell yes!
Take suntory toki for example it’s a blend of <50% chita <50% hakushu and <%1 Yamazaki
Looking at the Yamazaki line, the 10year old has been discontinue, whilst the 12 nope.
Sacrifice the 10. Simple!
Are you for realz? Do you realize that it takes 12 years to make a 12-year-old whiskey? So, what you’re saying is that Suntory should have realized 12 years ago, in 2008, that demand for their whiskey was going to skyrocket in 2020? Surely, they’re making a lot more of it in the last 5ish years, but it’ll still be a while before we see any of that. Relax, be patient. Don’t be such a typical American.
First off a bottle of coke taste like an orgy in your mouth if you never had it, and this stuff is not anything, it is made of 100% of b.s for alcoholic sociopaths.
100%right not worth this money..
I saw the headline and thought “because people who by this stuff are always the two r’s
Retarded and somehow Rich. You said it better.
Ummmm today at 5pm I spotted a bunch at Reno, no Costco. 22 year old for 115.95
I am told that stocks of Japanese malt has been exhausted , Companies like Suntory are importing malt whisky from Scotland and bottling them in Japan as Japanese whisky
Sounds right and also sounds like fraud. I won’t tell if you don’t stuff, but this whole industry of gouging the rich is made up of ” the emperor has no clothes” marketing anyway. If you think the threads are of the finest silk,you are the 2 R’s. See my previous post to see the R’s meaning.
Given the impending global recession due to the pandemic, I would think that whiskey producers will start releasing everything possible to get the highest return before the luxury market goes kaput for a few years. The longer the recession lasts, the more quality aged stuff we’ll see down the road.
The economics of it are fairly simple though even before the pandemic came along, the market has gotten insanely hot and they are willing to sell off more younger stuff at a high price, than risk aging it longer and getting less than what the younger stuff is selling for currently.
The luxury market never dies,just poor people die ( and what little money they had, with them).
I disagree with you Robotto. You obviously don’t realise how many wealthy people there are who are totally unaffected by any recession etc. China has more billionaires than the US, and their middle class is the same size as the whole US population. I’m not rich, but I have 2 unopened bottles of Yamazaki 12yo, and 2 Hibiki 21yo, because I saw the value due to the supply/demand situation. Whether I drink them remains to be seen! I have tried the Yamazaki 12 at a friends place – awesome.
To see an example of a scalper or “speculator” see Mr. Pete Blunden post. This is not why their is a shortage of this or that, but they exacerbate it .
Ray, appreciate all your thoughts. Not sure I am in agreement but appreciate them nonetheless. certainly some producers are including whisky from other producers/nations but the reputable ones are making potential consumers aware of this by identifying it on the labels. I do believe that the shortages are genuine.
All that said, many of these whiskies are superb and recognized as such by many consumers/critics around the world. As for speculators, well we have seen that in many products, whiskies, wines, cigars, watches, and more. Not sure much can be done. The way of the world.
I have a bottle myself ,looks like I won’t be opening it anytime soon , by the way is there anyone knows who would like to buy a bottle of telling whiskey they go for 2gs a bootle if anyone interested email me and ill send a picture of it to you , it was pass on to me as a wedding gift , but I don’t drink so it sits on my bar .