This Japanese Yamazaki 1990 won a silver medal in the 2008 Malt Maniacs award (best sherry cask). It has an extraordinary, deep brown colour. Yamazaki is part of the Suntory lineup.

Yamazaki 1990 (60%, OB 2008, sherry cask #0N70645, 471 btl.)

Nose: slightly dusty, smokey sherry. Big on cocoa. Chocolate. Intense red fruits (Mon Cherie, strawberry jam). Some aniseed. Quite some wood as well, big in every aspect. More fruity notes and some coffee if you add water. Cigar leafs. Mouth: a bit too strong. With water, it’s more accesible. Lots of spices now, mostly cinnamon and pepper. Some mocha and strawberries. Tobacco. Finish: quite dry, not very long. A bit winey, with big oak influence.

Phenomenal strength. If you remember to add water though, this is a very rewarding dram. I guess it could have been even better with a few extra years of softening, although the wood influence would probably make it undrinkable by then.

Score: 88/100