The Japanese have received world wide acclaim for their high quality, ever expanding range of single malt whiskies.  These are produced just like any single malt whisky, distilled from yeast, water and malted barley at a single distillery before a maturation of at least three years in oak casks. There are two main brands that own Japanese distilleries: Nikka and Suntory, founded by Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii respectively.

Suntory released the Yamazaki Single Malt Whiskey – Distiller’s Reserve in Spring 2014. It is one of the two Distiller’s Reserve single malt whiskies from Japan’s oldest and most renowned distillery.  This single malt is jam-packed with superb red berry notes, gained from the whisky being matured in Bordeaux wine casks and Sherry casks. It also features malt matured in Mizunara casks, adding subtle fragrant oak notes. The palate is mesmerising, the dried berries remain lively but well-balanced enough to make room for the light oak, peach and a small amounts of spice.