Yamato Small Batch Japanese Whisky

Yamato Small Batch Japanese Whisky is a 40% ABV (80 proof) Japanese whisky in a 750mL bottle — a blend of malted barley Scotch whisky and Japanese grain distillate grown in the Yamanashi Prefecture, aged 3–8 years in rare Mizunara oak and bottled non-chill-filtered, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.

• ABV: 40% (80 proof)
• Size: 750mL
• Aging: 3–8 years in Mizunara oak barrels — among the rarest, most expensive casks in the world
• Origin: Japan (Yamanashi Prefecture, Honshu — Kofu Basin microclimate)
• Production: blend of malted Scotch and Japanese grain distillate; non-chill-filtered; brand created by Aiko Importers from surplus Yamanashi distillery barrels
• Bottle: collectible samurai-themed ceramic decanter; label characters translate to "great harmony"

Great Harmony in Mizunara Oak

Yamato was born when US importer Aiko Importers acquired surplus whisky barrels at one of the largest distilleries in Japan's Yamanashi Prefecture — southwest of Tokyo on Honshu — and built an exclusive small-batch brand around them. The Kofu Basin's mountain air, cold winters, and hot summers shape the spirit as it rests 3–8 years in Mizunara oak, the famously temperamental Japanese oak that imparts sandalwood, coconut, and incense-like notes no other wood can. The result is bottled in the instantly recognizable samurai-helmet ceramic decanter. Browse the full Yamato range, explore our Japanese whisky shelf, or compare more whisky from around the world.

Tasting Notes

The nose opens with toasted honeycomb, toffee, and vanilla over barley sweetness; the palate brings nougat and hazelnut with a touch of Japanese-oak spice — licorice and molasses sugar in some pours — resolving into a soft, mellow finish. It reads refreshingly smooth for its age, with the Mizunara wood doing the talking.

How to Enjoy

Pour it neat to let the Mizunara character show, or add a single large ice cube for a slow-opening pour. It also makes an excellent Japanese highball — whisky, chilled sparkling water, lemon peel — the format this style of whisky was built for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yamato real Japanese whisky?
It is a blend of malted barley Scotch whisky and Japanese grain distillate, aged in Mizunara oak in Japan. Importer Aiko Importers created the brand from barrels sourced at a Yamanashi Prefecture distillery; the distillery itself is never disclosed.

What does Mizunara oak do to whisky?
Mizunara casks are rare and among the most expensive in the world. They lend distinctive sandalwood, coconut, vanilla, and oriental-incense notes that define the Yamato profile.

Is Yamato chill-filtered?
No — it is bottled non-chill-filtered at 40% ABV to preserve its natural character and mouthfeel.

Collector's bottle, genuine Mizunara character — pick up Yamato Small Batch Japanese Whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.