Fans of Japanese whisky will have a new bottle to hunt down this year.
House of Suntory Whisky has unveiled its Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016. This new expression will be available Feb. 1.
Only 5,000 bottles of Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 have been produced globally.
As sherry casks can overwhelm a single-malt’s flavor, Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo is careful in selecting barrels that promote balance between the whisky and Spanish oak. Fukuyo also said in a press release that Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is not for the “novice,” but the “‘Suntory Whisky Lover’—a lover of complex, refined and subtle tastes.”
Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is 48% ABV. As with Japanese whisky tradition, it is the blend of numerous expressions, including many of the whiskies used for the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013. Fukuyo has also added in sherry-cask whiskies that are as old as 25 years, helping create a complexity between rich and mellow.
The spirit has a dark brown color common of sherry-aged whisky. The nose exhibits notes of raisin, sun-dried tomato, clove and cocoa, the company says, while the tastes include sweet and sour notes, and chocolate with hazelnuts. Sourness and bittersweet flavors continue into the finish.
The suggested retail price is $300 per 750-ml. bottle.
