Yamazaki is a single malt: it is made entirely from malted barley and pot-distilled at one distillery, founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923 in Shimamoto, Osaka Prefecture, where a humid climate and the pure water at the meeting of three rivers were chosen to suit maturation. The 18 Year is matured for eighteen years mainly in Spanish sherry oak (Oloroso butts), with a portion of Japanese Mizunara oak — a scarce, demanding wood that lends sandalwood, incense, and Japanese spice — and American white oak. The three cask types are married to build the whisky's depth, and it is bottled at 43% ABV. The bottle meets the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association standard for labeling Japanese whisky.

Midnight Whiskey is an authorized retailer; every bottle is sold in its original packaging and inspected before it ships. Orders are double-boxed with protective padding and dispatched with temperature-aware handling. Delivery requires an adult signature: the recipient must be 21 or older and present valid government-issued photo ID. For how we verify and grade what we sell, see our authentication standards; for white-glove acquisition and storage, see the Vault Concierge; and for how we source and vet listings, see our editorial sourcing standards.

What casks is the Yamazaki 18 aged in?

The Yamazaki 18 is matured for eighteen years mainly in Spanish sherry oak, with Japanese Mizunara oak and American white oak. The sherry brings dried fruit and chocolate, the Mizunara adds sandalwood and incense, and the American oak rounds it out. It is bottled at 43% ABV.

What is Mizunara oak?

Mizunara is a Japanese oak, scarce and difficult to work with, that gives Yamazaki its signature notes of sandalwood, incense, and Japanese spice. The Yamazaki 18 uses it alongside sherry and American oak. The distillery, founded in 1923, was the first in Japan.