The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2016 750ml

Exclusively Spanish oak sherry casks. No American oak, no Mizunara — the Yamazaki Sherry Cask is defined entirely by the sherry wood influence. The 2016 is the successor to the legendary 2013 expression that won Jim Murray's Whisky Bible World's Best Single Malt of the Year.

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask is a distinct expression from the standard Yamazaki age-statement range. Where the 12, 18, and 25 Year expressions draw from multiple cask types — American oak, Spanish sherry oak, and Mizunara Japanese oak — the Sherry Cask is bottled exclusively from Spanish oak sherry casks, eliminating the other influences entirely. The result is the most concentrated and sherry-forward expression of Yamazaki's capabilities: dried fruit, dark chocolate, berry, and toffee character pushed to maximum intensity.

The 2013 Yamazaki Sherry Cask sparked global attention when Jim Murray awarded it the title of World's Best Single Malt in the 2015 edition of his Whisky Bible — an unprecedented designation for a Japanese whisky that dramatically accelerated international demand for Suntory's aged expressions. The 2016 follows in this tradition, released in extremely limited quantities as one of Yamazaki's most sought-after annual expressions.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Very deep amber — almost mahogany — from exclusive sherry cask maturation.
• Nose: Raisins, blackberries, cherries, and dark chocolate with a rich toffee sweetness from the Spanish oak sherry contact.
• Palate: Dense and concentrated — dried fruit, dark chocolate, orange peel, and a warm spice from the sherry cask character fully expressed without dilution from other wood types.
• Finish: Long and warming — the sherry oak character persisting through a deeply satisfying, fruit-rich close.

Specs

• Distillery: Yamazaki, Shimamoto, Osaka Prefecture, Japan (est. 1923)
• Category: Single Malt Japanese Whisky
• Casks: Exclusively Spanish oak sherry casks
• Release: 2016 (no age statement)
• Size: 750ml

Explore the full Yamazaki collection or browse all Japanese whisky at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What happened when the 2013 Yamazaki Sherry Cask won World's Best Single Malt? Jim Murray's 2015 Whisky Bible designated the 2013 Yamazaki Sherry Cask as World's Best Single Malt — the first time a Japanese whisky had received this designation from the world's most widely read whisky publication. The announcement triggered a global run on Yamazaki Sherry Cask stock and dramatically increased international demand for Japanese whisky broadly. The 2016 is a direct successor expression from the same program.
• How does the Sherry Cask differ from Yamazaki 18 Year? The 18 Year uses three cask types (American oak, Spanish sherry oak, Mizunara) for a balanced, multi-layered profile. The Sherry Cask uses exclusively Spanish sherry oak, producing a dramatically more sherry-concentrated expression. More dried fruit, more chocolate, more intensity — less Mizunara complexity, less American oak vanilla.
• Is the Sherry Cask still regularly released? Suntory releases the Yamazaki Sherry Cask in extremely limited quantities on an irregular schedule. The 2016 is several years from its original release and available only through specialty retailers with remaining allocation.
• Does the 2016 have an age statement? No — the Sherry Cask is a no-age-statement expression. Suntory assembles sherry cask components that have reached the peak of their character rather than targeting a specific age.