Skip to main content

Suntory Unveils Yamazaki Mizunara, a New Whisky Aged in Japanese Oak

Suntory Yamazaki Mizunara 2017
Image used with permission by copyright holder
If you’ve been hot on the hunt for rare Japanese whiskies, you’re going to want to add this one to your list immediately. This October, Suntory  released a special-edition cask whisky for the books: Yamazaki Mizunara 2017, which is aged in Japanese oak (mizunara in Japanese) casks. The goal for this special blend is to create the ultimate expression of Japanese whisky — not only are the base whiskies created in Japan, but so are the casks.

If using Japanese oak doesn’t sound like a huge deal, it is. The wood is rare, but according to Suntory, that isn’t even the biggest issue when it comes to creating a cask out of the wood. The tree has a naturally high moisture content (mizu means water and nara means oak) and is incredibly permeable. Oak is hardwood, meaning it is typically hard to shape (and if it isn’t shaped right, leaks will happen and, well, no one wants whisk(e)y leaks).

Suntory Yamazaki Mizunara 2017
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The process of understanding mizunara has gone on for decades. According to a statement, “it is said that in the early 1940s, Suntory’s blenders began small scale experiments with mizunara. But it wasn’t until the end of World War II, when it became difficult to import wood, that Suntory truly focused on mastering the homegrown mizunara cask.”

Recommended Videos

The trees that were selected for the casks were perfectly straight, at least 27.5 inches in diameter, and much older than other trees species typically used for aging. The whisky that comes out of those casks is, needless to say, special. When making the Yamazaki Mizunara 2017, Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo said he wanted something to push the bounds a little. He wanted something new, something untasted before.

“I wanted to reveal the whisky’s soul that is the art of mizunara — a heightened sense and awakened palate engaged through aromas and flavors never known before. Encountering it should be a moment of epiphany,” Fukuyo said.

The final product is a blend of whiskies aged eighteen years and above, with a small segment aged over fifty years. Amber in color, a rich spice nose greets you. The palate is dried fruits and marmalade with a finish that brings back the spice flavors and a lingering tartness and incense characteristic that is reminiscent of all beautiful Japanese whiskies.

The elegance of the whisky doesn’t stop at the barrel it’s made in or the spirit itself. The bottle’s label is handcrafted from mulberry Echizen paper in a traditional Japanese method of slow-drying on wood boards. The box that the whisky comes in is also made from mizunara wood.

Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 2017 Edition comes in at 48 percent ABV and retails for around $1,000.

Editor’s Note: This article is part of The Manual’s larger Journey to Japan travel guide. Over the course of a month, our writers had the pleasure of experiencing Japan in all its forms, from high-rise bars in Tokyo to traditional tea ceremonies in Kyoto. We hope this series will not only inform, but inspire you to take your own trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Cocktails to make with Eli Manning’s team up with Knob Creek
Make use of your high-end bourbons in these cocktails
Knob Creek

New Orleans legend Eli Manning recently teamed up with Knob Creek for a special bourbon release named Bold Pick -- making that an obvious choice of sipper for watching the game this weekend. But as well as drinking your bourbon neat, you can also enjoy it in cocktails.

The key to working with high-quality spirits is to remember that they don't need a ton of other ingredients to make a great drink. You're looking to highlight and emphasize the best flavors of the spirit, not to cover it up with a boat load of liqueurs, syrups, or other additions. So if you want a drink to make the best of a fine rye or bourbon, then look for a simple and classic recipe. Knob Creek has a couple of suggestions for minimal, elegant cocktails that will bring out the best of your spirits and make a drink worthy of those high-end bottles -- the always popular Manhattan cocktail, and the classic sour inspired Scofflaw cocktail.
Knob Creek Scofflaw

Read more
Serve up a healthier Super Bowl with these grass-fed beef recipes
Mini taco cups and bite-sized crispy steak and potatoes? Guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
Verde Farms taco cups.

Throwing a big Super Bowl party? Looking for easy yet crowd-pleasing recipes? From nachos to tacos to bowls of chili, many Super Bowl recipes feature beef. While beef is delicious and readily available, for this Super Bowl, why not upgrade (both in flavor and health) to grass-fed beef? Verde Farms, a brand that sells 100% grass-fed organic beef, reached out to us with some great Super Bowl recipes.

If you're one of those meat lovers still hesitant about grass-fed beef — don't be. The grass-fed at Verde Farms is lean but remains juicy, with a distinct grassy flavor that's present but not overwhelming. In fact, we sampled Verde Farms and found it to be a perfect replacement for grain-fed beef, the meat most common in grocery stores.
Mini Taco Cups
Verde Farms mini taco cups. Verde Farms
Ingredients:

Read more
Kick off your celebrations with these game day-themed cocktails
A drink for whichever team you're cheering for
game day themed cocktails french blonde

We love any excuse for a themed cocktail here, and Game Day is no exception! From Nola's beloved local drink, the Hurricane, to Taylor Swift's own favorite, the French Blonde, there's fun to be had by picking a drink that's on point for the occasion. If you're hosting some buddies for the big game tomorrow, then this selection of recipes has something for everyone, covering drinks with rum, whiskey, gin, and vodka.
Bacardí Fourth Quarter Classic

Ingredients:

Read more