Yamazaki Bottles the Oldest Japanese Whisky from Mizunara Oak

Monday, 11 August 2025 at 08:02House of Suntory

Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky

What if you could conjure up a whisky after a quarter of a century from barrels made from one of the most challenging woods in the world? That's what the House of Suntory has now achieved with the Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky. It is the oldest Yamazaki ever from mizunara oak.

FAQ

What makes Mizunara oak so special?
It's scarce, porous, and hard to work with. That's why it's not commonly seen in the whisky world.

What was the previous longest-aged Yamazaki in mizunara oak?
The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky.

Is this the oldest Yamazaki whisky?
No. That is the Yamazaki 55 Year Old.

The Yamazaki 25 Years Old Mizunara whisky in a nutshell

Distillery: The Yamazaki
Country: Japan
Type of cask: Japanese Mizunara Oak barrels
Type of whisky: Single Malt
Age: 25 years
Bottled: 2025
Alcohol percentage: 48% alcohol by volume (ABV)
Bottle volume: 70 centiliters
Price per bottle: Approximately 11,500 euros

What is the Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky?

The new Yamazaki whisky is the oldest single malt whisky that has fully aged in mizunara oak barrels. That title previously belonged to the 18-year-old Japanese whisky, but now goes to the Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak.

Previously, other whiskies under the Yamazaki flag were released from the famous Japanese Oak wood, but they only partially aged in the barrels. This whisky has spent the entire maturation in the Japanese oak.

This is a remarkable achievement, given mizunara oak is relatively porous and difficult to work with.

What are the tasting notes for the Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky?

The new Yamazaki whisky has the following tasting notes:

Nose: Apricot compote, cocoa latte, nutmeg and cardamom.
Palate: Sweet and sour citrus, creamy influences, and notes of orange.
Finish: Complex, woody with hints of medicinal herbs.

The whisky is bottled at an alcohol percentage of 48 percent.

Where is the Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Oak whisky available?

The Yamazaki 25 Year Old comes in a special, handmade display box made with the traditional Locking technique. The price of a bottle is just over 11,000 euros.

Fun Fact: Due to its porous nature, mizunara oak can cause more evaporation, making prolonged ageing increasingly costly and risky.