Yamazaki 12 Years Old

A special edition of Yamazaki 12 Years Old, produced exclusively by Suntory for the Watami restaurant group in Japan. The release was created in collaboration with Miki Watanabe, the Japanese entrepreneur and politician who founded the Watami chain of izakaya restaurants in 1984. Izakayas are traditional Japanese establishments serving alcoholic drinks alongside a variety of small dishes. Introduced to Watami restaurants in September 2007, this exclusive expression was reportedly developed with the involvement of Suntory's renowned Master Blender Seiichi Koshimizu. The whisky was created using a high proportion of sherry-cask-matured malt, giving it a distinctive character compared with the standard Yamazaki 12 Years Old. Unlike conventional Yamazaki releases, Watami Founder's Choice was produced specifically for the restaurant group's establishments, making it an unusual example of a privately commissioned Suntory single malt. Bottled at 43% ABV in the distinctive 660ml format.