Whisky: Yamazaki 11 Year (2010) Essence of Suntory 2021 “Islay Peated Malt”

Country/Region: Japan

ABV: 54%

Cask: American Oak

Age: 11 Years (Distilled 2010, Bottled 2021)

---

Nose: Campfire, smoke, occasionally acrid with a touch of rubber, subtle barn, holiday spice, chocolate fudge, bergamot.

Palate: Medium-bodied, rich wood smoke, burning grass, ash, hay, herbal incense, black pepper, cocoa.

Finish: Peppery and lively with charred wood and grass alongside dark chocolate.

---

Score: 6-7 (80)

Mental Image: Bucolic Christmas Camping

Narrative & Notes: Rich campfire smoke and tire burnouts sparked into existence with rich woody smoke. As the breeze shifted, the smoke turned acrid and slightly rubbery, before a gust of barnyard hay and mud blew in. Burning pine cones and Christmas fudge joined with holiday spices— aniseed, cinnamon, and ginger provided holiday cheer to musky bergamot and oakmoss: Christmas in the department store cologne section? Medium-bodied, rich wood smoke and burning grass arrived first on the palate with ash on the wind and touch of musty hay. A spicy herbal incense came to the fore with frankincense, while black pepper filtered in late on with cocoa powder and a touch of camphor. The finish was peppery and lively with charred wood and grass alongside dark chocolate.

I hate to be a downer, but I expected more from this— though my impression of it improved each time I returned to it, so maybe over the course of an entire bottle I would have fallen in love. There were no fatal flaws; no off notes, raw spirit, or burn, everything was well-balanced and well-integrated. The spirit that was present provided some lively pepper, but was otherwise well-integrated.  Yet, the whisky lacked a lot of depth and variety to the flavors, it was surprisingly simple and narrow.  

Overall, I enjoyed this, but I expected more.