An incredibly rare whisky is coming to the U.S. from legendary Japanese whisky maker Suntory and its flagship Yamazaki distillery: Yamazaki 55 is a Japanese single malt with history dating back to the ‘60s, earning it the distinction of being the oldest whisky ever released by Suntory. In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
Yamazaki 55 comprises individual casks of Japanese single malt from 1960 and 1964, the former aged in Japanese Mizunara oak and the latter aged in more common white oak casks. The pedigree of this whisky is amazing: it was distilled when the founder was still alive, and has been carefully watched by several generations of master blenders.
The Best Beer-Barrel-Aged Whiskeys for Guys Who Love Hops
Read article
This is big news for a whisky brand that, in the last five years, has seen exponential growth in demand while simultaneously seeing substantial hurdles to meeting it. Yamazaki isn’t just one of the most prominent names in Japanese whisky—it’s the first. Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii set the stage when construction began in 1923, just outside Kyoto. In the decades since, Suntory has grown to include the Hakushu distillery, and several more brands (not to mention its acquisition of Beam, which includes a substantial number of bourbon brands, including Jim Beam, Booker’s, and Maker’s Mark).
The top of the bottle is wrapped in Echizen washi paper and bound with plaited cord. Courtesy Image Normally we don’t give much attention to a bottle’s packaging, but the crystal decanter for the Yamazaki 55 is gorgeous, with sandblasted designs and touches of gold dust and lacquer in the final design. It’s also wrapped in handmade Echizen washi paper and bound with a Kyo-kumihimo plaited cord, which is a traditional Kyoto craft.
The Best Whiskeys of 2021 Have Been Announced
Read article
The piece that’s most interesting, however, is the box, which is made from mizunara oak wood that gives great Japanese malts their unique character. It’s a similar packaging decision to Booker’s 30th release, which was sold in unique boxes made from reclaimed lumber from a warehouse being disassembled when the liquid was finished.
The box is made from Japanese mizunara oak wood, which lends great Japanese malts their unique character. Courtesy Image At 46 percent ABV, it’s a restrained single malt in true Japanese fashion—nothing punchy or overpowering for the liquid’s aromas and flavors to contend with. And that’s good, because the deep amber liquid is, according to Suntory, aromatically lush with well-ripened fruit and sandalwood on the nose. Official tasting notes highlight intense woody character from the mizunara before a finish of smoke. If that doesn’t sound particularly descriptive, well, we agree, but these ultra-old whiskies have a way of being indescribable, even for the masters. Fifth-generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo had more to add, thankfully: “Throughout the process of blending Yamazaki 55, I used as inspiration the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’—the Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to perfection,” explained Fukuyo. “While I often view other extra aged whiskies as art, I consider Yamazaki 55 to be more like a Buddhist statue: calm and mysterious, requiring time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
We found your new favorite bottle. Read article
Of course, for most of us, tasting it will be a pipe dream. Yamazaki 55 is (as you probably expected) available in profoundly limited quantities. The liquid actually began selling in 2020 to Japanese consumers in a separate 100-bottle release. This year’s release is the same size, but is available on a global scale, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Taiwan. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle, we can’t tell you cracking it open is a good idea anyway. The collector’s value of a release like this is substantial. Of course, to hold such a rare liquid and not give it a taste? That sounds like a terribly sobering decision, too.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
An incredibly rare whisky is coming to the U.S. from legendary Japanese whisky maker Suntory and its flagship Yamazaki distillery: Yamazaki 55 is a Japanese single malt with history dating back to the ‘60s, earning it the distinction of being the oldest whisky ever released by Suntory.
In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
Yamazaki 55 comprises individual casks of Japanese single malt from 1960 and 1964, the former aged in Japanese Mizunara oak and the latter aged in more common white oak casks. The pedigree of this whisky is amazing: it was distilled when the founder was still alive, and has been carefully watched by several generations of master blenders.
The Best Beer-Barrel-Aged Whiskeys for Guys Who Love Hops
Read article
This is big news for a whisky brand that, in the last five years, has seen exponential growth in demand while simultaneously seeing substantial hurdles to meeting it.
The Best Beer-Barrel-Aged Whiskeys for Guys Who Love Hops
Read article
The Best Beer-Barrel-Aged Whiskeys for Guys Who Love Hops
Yamazaki isn’t just one of the most prominent names in Japanese whisky—it’s the first. Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii set the stage when construction began in 1923, just outside Kyoto. In the decades since, Suntory has grown to include the Hakushu distillery, and several more brands (not to mention its acquisition of Beam, which includes a substantial number of bourbon brands, including Jim Beam, Booker’s, and Maker’s Mark).
Normally we don’t give much attention to a bottle’s packaging, but the crystal decanter for the Yamazaki 55 is gorgeous, with sandblasted designs and touches of gold dust and lacquer in the final design. It’s also wrapped in handmade Echizen washi paper and bound with a Kyo-kumihimo plaited cord, which is a traditional Kyoto craft.
The Best Whiskeys of 2021 Have Been Announced
Read article
The piece that’s most interesting, however, is the box, which is made from mizunara oak wood that gives great Japanese malts their unique character. It’s a similar packaging decision to Booker’s 30th release, which was sold in unique boxes made from reclaimed lumber from a warehouse being disassembled when the liquid was finished.
The Best Whiskeys of 2021 Have Been Announced
Read article
The Best Whiskeys of 2021 Have Been Announced
At 46 percent ABV, it’s a restrained single malt in true Japanese fashion—nothing punchy or overpowering for the liquid’s aromas and flavors to contend with. And that’s good, because the deep amber liquid is, according to Suntory, aromatically lush with well-ripened fruit and sandalwood on the nose. Official tasting notes highlight intense woody character from the mizunara before a finish of smoke.
If that doesn’t sound particularly descriptive, well, we agree, but these ultra-old whiskies have a way of being indescribable, even for the masters. Fifth-generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo had more to add, thankfully: “Throughout the process of blending Yamazaki 55, I used as inspiration the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’—the Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to perfection,” explained Fukuyo. “While I often view other extra aged whiskies as art, I consider Yamazaki 55 to be more like a Buddhist statue: calm and mysterious, requiring time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
We found your new favorite bottle. Read article
Of course, for most of us, tasting it will be a pipe dream. Yamazaki 55 is (as you probably expected) available in profoundly limited quantities. The liquid actually began selling in 2020 to Japanese consumers in a separate 100-bottle release. This year’s release is the same size, but is available on a global scale, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Taiwan.
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
We found your new favorite bottle. Read article
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
We found your new favorite bottle.
If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle, we can’t tell you cracking it open is a good idea anyway. The collector’s value of a release like this is substantial. Of course, to hold such a rare liquid and not give it a taste?
That sounds like a terribly sobering decision, too.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
More News
Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More News
Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
All Stories
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
Young Guns and a Supercharged Catamaran: U.S. SailGP Team Takes on New York City
