Couple recent TNs (Kavalan, Yamazaki)

Kavalan Sherry Cask (circa 2015 release)

I have a couple bottles of this one, but this is a bottle I bought in Taiwan about 6 years ago and has been open since. I like to visit spirits that have been open awhile, as I do think they change, for whatever reason.

This is something like 112 proof but didn’t taste it at all. Definitely a sherry bomb, perhaps one of the most heavily sherried whiskies I’ve had, but very balanced and incredibly smooth. Some salinity and vanilla notes on the nose and palate. Incredibly long finish. I think this is like $500 a bottle in the US now which is dumb, but a fantastic drink.

The Yamazaki 18 year (~10 years old)

I bought a bottle of this which I finished during med school and reloaded right before graduation for about $100 which must have been right before the prices skyrocketed. This has some vanilla on the nose but with earth; again some salinity on the palate, with yet more complexity and super long finish. This isn’t worth what the current asking price is but I’m glad I still have some, wow.

I have not had the pleasure of trying the Kavalan Sherry Cask, but do like their other bottlings. Yamazaki, too, is in my regular rotation. Thanks for these great notes.

I remember Yamazaki 18 for $120 or so. Interesting how Japanese whiskies have gone from some of the best values to some of the worst, at least based on secondary market pricing. I guess I could say the same about some of the domestic ones.

I don’t think it’s just secondary pricing. You can compare something like Hibiki Harmony, which is good but NAS at $70 to say Talisker 10 at $50. Then Hakushu 10 or Yamazaki 10 around $120 now. I think it’s clear that the Japanese whiskies just aren’t good value.

The problem is that these products have their own character and if you like them there doesn’t seem to be a great alternative.

That’s a good point about Harmony and the 10 years. Terrible values at regular retail prices. At this point I can get close enough to these styles (Yamazaki and Hibiki, the ones I used to buy) with Scotch or Irish at reasonable prices. No, they’re not exactly the same, but not super far off.

Doug (and others),

What would you say is close in style to Yamazaki in Scotch and Irish?

Have you tried any Amrut offerings? Interested to see how they compare to Kavalan (K&L has some intriguing Amrut barrel picks right now)

I have, they’re quite good; I like kavalan a bit more but I’m very into sherry.

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