NV Yamazaki 18 Years Old (Bill Amberg) 43%

Nose: a sublime blend of Java and Sumatra coffees, enriched by vanilla and even toastier tannins. The sugars, a mix of treacle and maple syrup try not to steal the show, but nearly do… Taste: oh, oh, oh..!!!!! Possibly the softest yet most compelling delivery this year: the grape is doused in busy, ever intensifying spice, the toasty vanillas in those subtle sugars spotted on the nose. Overripe plums, juicy dates, stewed prunes… and all the time the spice buzzes, the sugars salivate. Finish: long, with just a slow wind down of the previously intense fruit notes. The juices just keep on gushing, but met almost perfectly with toasty, slightly milky mocha notes; the final strands are praline wafer… with chocolate fruit and nut, too. Balance: for its strength, probably one of the best whiskies in the world. And one of the most brilliantly and sexily balanced, too... All told one glass is equal to about 45 minutes of sulphur-free satisfaction… 43%.