Sasanokawa Shuzo Yamazakura 10 Years Old

Yamazakura 10 Years Old is a cask strength single malt from Sasanokawa Shuzo's Asaka distillery in Fukushima prefecture, bottled in 2018 for the Japanese domestic market. The ten-year age statement is a significant marker for a distillery that only opened in 2016, suggesting this whisky was drawn from older stock distilled at the Sasanokawa facility before the Asaka site was established.

The maturation journey begins in Ex-Bourbon casks, establishing vanilla, honey and soft cereal, before a Mizunara wood finish introduces the aromatic signature that Japanese oak is known for: sandalwood, incense and a faint coconut note. At 59%, the cask strength bottling ensures those Mizunara-derived aromatics arrive with full intensity, making this a considered showcase of Fukushima whisky's capacity for Japanese oak complexity.