The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky is made from 100% malted barley, which is milled and mashed before being fermented in Suntory's proprietary wooden vats. After fermentation, the whisky is distilled through Suntory's copper-pot stills — the first of their kind outside of Scotland — before being aged in casks made of three different types of woods: American, Spanish and Japanese oak (the Japanese oak adds an Asian twist to the whisky). In February of 1899, Shinjiro Torii opened a store in Osaka, Japan that sold imported wines. Within a decade, Torii's store began producing its own sweet grape wine called Akadama Port Wine. The wine became incredibly popular in Japan and in 1923, Torii — fascinated by whisky — decided to expand his business and began construction of the Yamazaki Distillery, Japan's first-ever whisky distillery. After aging for 18 years in Japan's unique environment — the constant changes in temperature and humidity affect the casks' breathing and the interaction between the wood and the whisky — the whisky is brought to proof before being bottled. The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky has earned an astounding five Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and was named "Best Other Whisky" in 2009, 2011 and 2012. It also earned a score of 96 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute and 95 points from Wine Enthusiast. Aroma of raisins, apricots and coffee. Initial notes of dark chocolate, dried fruits and cinnamon give way to a long, profound finish with a touch of sweetness. It's no wonder why it is ranked high the whiskey chain!
