Glenfiddich Grand Yozakura 29 Year Old Scotch Whisky
Glenfiddich Grand Yozakura 29 Year Old Scotch Whisky is a genuine first: the first single malt Scotch whisky ever finished in Japanese ex-awamori casks. After 29 years in American and European oak, this Speyside single malt spent six months in casks that once held awamori — Okinawa's ancient rice spirit, whose casks almost never leave Japan — and was bottled at 45.1% ABV (90.2 proof) in a 750mL limited Grand Series release. Zesty ripe fruit and caramelised almonds up front, toasted oak and vanilla toffee across the palate, sherbet lemon and green apple, and a long, oak-driven fade. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 45.1% (90.2 proof)
- Age: 29 years
- Size: 750mL, Grand Series limited-edition presentation
- Casks: 29 years in American and European oak, finished 6 months in rare Japanese ex-awamori casks
- Distillery: Glenfiddich, Dufftown, Speyside, Scotland (founded 1887, family-owned)
- Style: single malt Scotch whisky
Night Cherry Blossoms, Okinawan Oak
"Yozakura" means cherry blossoms viewed at night — a fleeting, celebrated Japanese moment — and Glenfiddich built a whole release around that crossover. Awamori is considered Japan's oldest distilled drink, a long-grain-rice spirit from Okinawa and a predecessor of shochu; its casks are vanishingly rare outside Japan. Six months in them gives the 29-year-old Glenfiddich something no Scotch has had before: a herbal lift and sherbet brightness woven through the deep oak, ripe fruit and creamy vanilla of three decades in traditional casks. The sakura-themed presentation — bespoke stopper, cherry-blossom detailing — makes it as much an object as a whisky, and it trades among collectors more often than it gets opened. See more Scotch whisky and the Glenfiddich collection at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Nose: zesty ripe fruit, caramelised almonds, rich oak, cinnamon, a distinctive herbal zing. Palate: toasted oak, creamy vanilla toffee, silky tannin, bursts of spice, sherbet lemons, crunchy green apple, warming earthy tones. Finish: long-lasting oak. Official notes add a delicate sherbet sweetness on the fade.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a tulip glass, with a few minutes of air — the awamori finish shows best once the whisky opens up. This is not a mixing whisky; pour it for a milestone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is awamori? A traditional Okinawan distilled spirit made from long-grain Thai indica rice — one of Japan's oldest distilled beverages. Its casks rarely leave Japan, making this finish genuinely unique in Scotch.
What does "Yozakura" mean? "Night cherry blossoms" in Japanese — the theme behind the release's sakura-inspired presentation.
Is Grand Yozakura limited? Yes — a limited Grand Series edition; allocation is extremely tight and bottles trade on the secondary market.
Serious collectors in San Diego, CA can order Grand Yozakura online from Del Mesa Liquor while it lasts.