Yamazaki Whiskey connoisseurs have a soft spot in their hearts for Japanese whiskey. However, the uncommon 55-year-old Yamazaki whisky raises the bar considerably. How? Let’s investigate. The Yamazaki 55, a very rare edition from the birthplace of Japanese whiskey, is a joy to have. The Yamazaki Distillery of Suntory, which produces this special whiskey, is Japan’s oldest malt whiskey distillery. At a Sotheby’s auction, a 750 ml bottle was up for sale, and it went for an astounding $8,000,000. (Rs 65.2 crores approx). This Japanese whiskey broke the previous record and replaced Yamazaki 50-year-old and Karuizawa 52-year-old as the priciest Japanese whiskey brand. However, why is the Yamazaki 55 so pricey? In this episode of Why Is It Expensive, we learn more.
Why is Yamazaki whiskey, aged 55 years, so expensive?
The Yamazaki 55-year-old was first distilled in 1960 and is a combination of rare single malts that were distilled under Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory, and then aged in Mizunara casks. Shinji Fukuyo, a fifth-generation head blender for Suntory, and Shingo Torii, a third-generation master blender, collaborated to find the ideal alchemy. After more than 55 years of maturation, they mastered the characteristic technique of mixing it perfectly, giving this limited edition Japanese whiskey a unique depth and complexity.
Yamazaki 55, a monument to the passage of time from House of Suntory, was first bottled in Japan in 2020 with 100 bottles and then 100 more were made available in 2021. This provided the brand a distinct exclusivity so that customers could taste a refined, one-of-a-kind Japanese whiskey with a unique historical significance.
The deep amber colour of Yamazaki whiskey is unique to Mizunara casks. It smells strongly of sandalwood and has a pleasant, mature scent reminiscent of fully ripened fruit. On the palate, it starts out smooth and mildly sweet before bursting into flavour in the tongue and finishing with a woodsy note from the Mizunara cask. The finish has a mildly bitter aftertaste and traces of smokiness and fragrant wood.
Japanese Mizunara wood, which is also used to make the cask, is used to make the packaging for the 55-year-old Yamazaki whiskey. The black surface of this handmade box is then lacquered, which is a Japanese finishing method that makes it smooth to the touch and shine from deep within.
