Yamazakura Blended Japanese Whisky 700ml

‘Yamazakura’ is a relatively new brand in the Sasanokawa portfolio, a Japanese spirits company dating back to 1765 that makes sake and schochu.

Based in the city of Koriyama (Fukushima prefecture) they expanded into whisky in the 1940s, long before the start of Japan’s whisky boom. This represents a high-end complement to their entry level whisky range (‘Yama’ means ‘mountain’ and ‘Sakura’ means cherry tree, hence the label design).

Previously exclusive to Japan, Sasanokawa recently teamed up with ‘Les Whiskies du Monde’ to expand their distribution. This blend is reportedly composed of four malt whiskies (of undisclosed provenance) as well as some grain whisky, so Sasanokawa is akin to an N.D.P. or “Non Distiller Producer”, rather than distilling the whisky themselves.