The Yamazaki 18 Mizunara 100th Anniversary Limited Edition

This Yamazaki Mizunara 100th Anniversary Single Malt is comprised of meticulously selected malt whiskies all aged for a minimum of 18 years in solely Mizunara casks, created in honor of Suntory Whisky’s centenary. The result showcases the rare, distinctive beauty of Mizunara oak, which is considered the signature “enhancer” of Yamazaki, providing unique Japanese character and elegance. We invite you to experience this distinct and elegant single malt whisky.

In 2023, Japanese whisky exists as one of the most successful categories of spirit on the planet. But just a century ago, it didn’t even exist at all. The journey began with an ambitious proclamation by Shinjiro Torii, who founded the House of Suntory back in 1923. “I’m taking up the challenge of making whisky in Japan because no one else is even trying,” he said before becoming his country’s first master blender.

Torii started by building the Yamazaki distillery 12 miles south of central Kyoto. The company he launched went on to become the biggest whisky producer in all of Japan, eventually encompassing additional brands, including Hakushu, Hibiki, and Toki. Today, Suntory commemorates its 100th anniversary with the release of two ultra-premium, limited edition formulations: Yamazaki 18-Year-Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18-Year-Old Peated Malt. We’ve got the exclusive tasting notes on both, along with words from the industry legend who crafted them.

Let’s start with the Yamazaki offering. To be clear, an 18-year-old expression from the distillery already sits on shelves as part of the brand’s core portfolio. But that one is composed of whiskies aged in American oak, Spanish oak, as well as Japanese Mizunara oak. The limited edition variation uses liquids plucked entirely from those prized Japanese barrels (something the brand hasn’t done since a super rare 2017 release, which now sells for over $2500).