Yamato Honda Tadakatsu Edition Japanese Whisky
Yamato Honda Tadakatsu Edition Japanese Whisky is a 40% ABV (80 proof), 750mL Japanese whisky aged in Mizunara oak casks and presented in a decanter sculpted after the battle armour of Honda Tadakatsu, the legendary samurai general of Tokugawa Ieyasu — part of Yamato's Samurai Edition series. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Casks: Mizunara oak
- Series: Samurai Edition — limited edition
- Presentation: Samurai armour decanter modelled on Honda Tadakatsu's helmet and armour
- Origin: Japan — whisky sourced in Yamanashi Prefecture
The Samurai Who Was Never Wounded
Honda Tadakatsu served Tokugawa Ieyasu through the wars that unified Japan, earning a place among the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings; legend holds that he fought more than fifty battles without ever taking a serious wound. Yamato — a brand created by Aiko Importers from mature stocks at one of Yamanashi Prefecture's largest distilleries — honours him with a whisky aged in Mizunara oak, Japan's rare native oak that lends sandalwood, incense and spice, and a decanter built like his armour that turns the bottle into a display piece. Browse the Yamato collection, more Japanese whisky, and the wider whisky shelves at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Subtle maple, resin and lemon peel on the nose; a soft, smooth palate of cedar and chamomile in the Mizunara style; and a lightly smoky finish with a refined, lingering sweetness.
How to Enjoy
Neat or over a single large cube, where the cedar and incense can unfold. It also makes an elegant highball — whisky, soda, and nothing louder than a twist of lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Honda Tadakatsu? A Sengoku-period samurai general and daimyo who served Tokugawa Ieyasu, counted among the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings and famed for an undefeated record across more than fifty battles.
What is Mizunara oak? Japan's native oak, rare and difficult to cooper, prized in whisky for notes of sandalwood, incense, coconut and spice that no other oak gives.
What is the ABV and size? 40% ABV (80 proof), 750mL, in the samurai armour decanter.
Is it a limited edition? Yes — the Honda Tadakatsu Edition is part of Yamato's Samurai Edition series honouring legendary samurai, released in limited quantities.
A warrior's whisky in a warrior's bottle — order Yamato Honda Tadakatsu online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.