Just finished a bottle of Yamazaki 12yrs

[blacksabb]

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've posted around here. I've been amassing a small collection of Scotch during 2009 and have about 20 bottles now, which I'm happy with. I'm now in the process of drinking one and replacing it immediately so that I always have at least this amount.

I've had my eye on Yamazaki 12yrs for a long time now and was initially put off by a couple of reviews (both internet and speaking to a person in a liquor shop) that stated it was something of an acquired taste. That it didn't have the usual flavour and feel of Scotch but something that you'd have to get used to.

Well, what rubbish! I absolutely loved this whisky (oops, almost typed "Scotch"). The nose is very sweet and aromatic. Sorry though, I'm still not good at describing flavours. But it was not only smooth as silk, it was just a beautiful whisky with wonderful flavours. That's about all I can say. Except that I possibly did detect flavours of an unusual wood used in the maturation. Certainly not something that is an "acquired" taste, but very agreeable. Would this be correct or is my tasting note off?

This is instantly for me a repeat buy whisky. So far, only 1 of 2-the only other one (for the moment) is The Glenlivet Nadurra. That is one superb whisky IMO.

It's also taken me well over a year to really figure out what whiskies I like. And I realise that I love whiskies that are straight wood matured and not heavily peated. By straight wood matured, I mean whiskies that haven't been matured in casks previously containing port, wine, sherry etc.

I was a little disappointed with The Dalmore 12yrs. I suppose simply because I admire the bottle design so much. I'm personally finding that these sherry cask matured whiskies have this sickly type of sweetness that doesn't really agree with me. The same with whiskies with large amounts of peat/smoke.

So for me, it seems that I'm going to be experimenting with things like Dalwhinnie 15yrs, Glenmorangie original etc. I find that any sweetness from these whiskies tends to be agreeable and not that syrupy sickly sweet. Almost like the feel of natural sweetness, not imparted sweetness. Am I making any sense at all?

Anyway, I've yakked enough. So how has everybody been?

[dramtastic]

No surprise to me you loved the Yama 12 sabb. Japanese whiskys for the most part are wonderful and often have their own unique qualities. I wouldn't worry about reviews to much, I'd have missed out on buying some fantastic whiskys if I only ever followed everyone elses lead. I've had whiskys that I loved that the so called experts hardly rated. I value my taste buds more than theirs. It works in reverse as well, it's ok to dislike a whisky most other peole might rave about.

Buy and try for youself I say.

[johan brugge]

I was a little disappointed with The Dalmore 12yrs. I suppose simply because I admire the bottle design so much. I'm personally finding that these sherry cask matured whiskies have this sickly type of sweetness that doesn't really agree with me.

Hmm, interesting comments about the Yama 12. Like DT said, don't alway rely on the experts. Sometimes it's trial and error to find out what you like. I'm glad you found the Yama 12 very enjoyable. As for the Dalmore12yo I expected more from it. I found it also very sweet. I've written a tasting note in the thread 'what are you drinking now' (I think). As for the Japanese whiskies, DT, I'll let you know which one I've purchased.

[steveblack]

Long time no see..Good to have you back. You make me feel good because you are the other one on this forum, apart from me, who cannot still smell carrots and apples in the whiskies:D

I bought the Nadurra and Yamazaki 12 just a day apart and Nadurra had completely overshadowed Yamazaki 12 and didn't stop until the bottle was almost finished. I haven't given much time to the Yamazaki, but my initial thinking was that they tasted like the irish whiskies,Jameson 12 & Red Breast 12 which I had tasted, though a lot better. Wonder if they use the same process?

Your post reminded me.... tonight I need to revisit the Yamazaki 12.

[blacksabb]

Long time no see..Good to have you back. You make me feel good because you are the other one on this forum, apart from me, who cannot still smell carrots and apples in the whiskies:D

I bought the Nadurra and Yamazaki 12 just a day apart and Nadurra had completely overshadowed Yamazaki 12 and didn't stop until the bottle was almost finished. I haven't given much time to the Yamazaki, but my initial thinking was that they tasted like the irish whiskies,Jameson 12 & Red Breast 12 which I had tasted, though a lot better. Wonder if they use the same process?

Your post reminded me.... tonight I need to revisit the Yamazaki 12.

Hey thanks for the encouragement. And yes, I still cannot rattle off these exotic profiles for nose, palate, finish, legs etc. The one thing that I can say about the Yamazaki 12yrs is that the nose and palate don't concur-which in this case is not bad. The nose is very sweet and aromatic. But like I've said before, I find that other whiskies that smell very sweet just have this sickly syrupy sweetness in the taste, which as I said before, does not agree with me.

The Yamazaki 12yrs smells sweet and floral but is more woody in the palate. Well I think anyway.

I haven't had the Nadurra for a while but I'm looking forward to my next bottle. I'm just curious though, what are the drinking laws in Dubai? Is it completely legal to drink there, or is it just confined to clubs etc? And is it only legal for non Muslims or what?

Questions, questions, questions.....

[steveblack]

I'm just curious though, what are the drinking laws in Dubai? Is it completely legal to drink there, or is it just confined to clubs etc? And is it only legal for non Muslims or what?

Questions, questions, questions.....

Dubai is quite liberal unlike other countries in the region. You can't of course drink in the public places, only at pubs or home etc. It was very common to find lot of Arabs in the pubs and no gives a second look. I don't know if it has changed recently; I haven't hit a pub in long time because most have only limited selection of SMSW and hardly anything interesting. There was a recet ban on going to pub wearing traditional Arab dress, though I don't know if it is enforced.

Muslims cannot buy liquor from liquor shops, for that you need a permit given to non Muslims only. Other than that you wouldn't feel anyway different from countries where liquor is permitted, except the place is very safe. Just don't get caught creating trouble or driving, while drunk, but this is the same almost anywhere else also

[blacksabb]

Dubai is quite liberal unlike other countries in the region. You can't of course drink in the public places, only at pubs or home etc. It was very common to find lot of Arabs in the pubs and no gives a second look. I don't know if it has changed recently; I haven't hit a pub in long time because most have only limited selection of SMSW and hardly anything interesting. There was a recet ban on going to pub wearing traditional Arab dress, though I don't know if it is enforced.

Muslims cannot buy liquor from liquor shops, for that you need a permit given to non Muslims only. Other than that you wouldn't feel anyway different from countries where liquor is permitted, except the place is very safe. Just don't get caught creating trouble or driving, while drunk, but this is the same almost anywhere else also

Hey thanks for that. It all sounds a bit surreal to me, drinking with permits and such. But al least you can drink.

You make me feel good because you are the other one on this forum, apart from me, who cannot still smell carrots and apples in the whiskies:D

Well, I don't think I've ever read carrots in a whisky description. But I just love all these weird and wonderful descriptions. Stuff like shoe leather, road tar, ocean breeze, earth etc.