There is a lot to like about Whisky Review: Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Selection – Puncheon on paper. and $450,, let us see if it lives up to expectations.
Nose
this slowly but distinctly fills the room. Green apples, fresh pears, spring flowers escape from the glass. As you nose the glass you find chardonnay with a soft touch of alcohol. Right at the end of the nose there is the faintest hint of peat smoke.
Palate
Im surprised with the first note its peat. The mouthfeel is round and envelops the palate. The sweetness of the grain comes forward with dry pecans. It is overall extremely delicate and soft, the notes are present but play nicely with one another. They evolve over the tongue and through the finish. The sip just sits nicely in your mouth and fades gradually over a minute or so.
Finish
This is the first of the four. This is setting the bar very high for the others, but I expect this series wasnt released because Suntory felt the whisky wasnt up to the task. I am partial to the subtlety here. The fruit notes are balanced cleanly with the peat flavor and the oak barrel. Just a clean, excellent dram of whisky. The tragedy of this whisky is you’ll never find it at suggested retail price. Most retail sales are in the couple thousand dollar mark.
The Bottom Line
Whisky Review: Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Selection – Puncheon is outstanding — one of those bottles that reminds you why you fell in love with whiskey in the first place. If you see it at $450,, do not hesitate. This one earns a permanent spot on the shelf.
