Yamazakura 963 Bonds

Yamazakura 963 Bonds is a blended whisky from Sasanokawa Shuzo in Fukushima prefecture, bottled in 2019 at 46% for the global market. Part of the 963 series within the Yamazakura range, the Bonds release is a no age statement expression designed for wide accessibility, drawing its character from Ex-Bourbon cask maturation and the Sasanokawa Shuzo house approach to blending.

Ex-Bourbon maturation at its core gives the whisky a soft and rounded character: vanilla, gentle fruit and the easy warmth that bourbon wood reliably produces. Bottled at 46% rather than the cask strength of some 963 releases, the Bonds is approachable and consistent, intended as a welcoming entry into the sub-line. Sasanokawa Shuzo's decades of blending experience in Fukushima give the liquid a steadiness that many younger blends lack.