Use code UPTOWN10 on your first purchase to get this gem of a drop at a crazy price.
$0 for click and collect in Sydney.
$9.99 delivery to NSW and ACT. $19.99 delivery to NT. $14.99 delivery to elsewhere in Australia.
Free delivery with minimum $300 spend after applying the discount code (excluding NT).
Tasty single malt.
12yr old.
Japanese.
Cigar sold separate.
They don't sell aged statements anymore right?
Where
Just south of Osaka. Definitely worth the visit.
Between osaka and kyoto actually (north of osaka). They also don't sell age statements currently.
How come these go down in price i thought government is increasing tax on alcohol?
Because it's been 12 years since the Japanese whisky boom started so supplies are starting to catch up.
I just hope they go to reasonable prices, i like them but since the boom they have been massively overpriced.
Yes, the Japanese whiskys were great at the original price 10+ years ago. They are a bit too dear VS the taste compared to other options available these days, including the Aussie local drops that are popping up.
Does this mix well with Pepsi max ?
Oh that's a good and original joke
any good for cooking wings?
Only the blue pepsi
OOS
That is the buying price for many stores. I friend of mine has a shop and his buying price is close to this. Getting into reasonable price range, I still remember not buying at $97 and regretting.
Man, it really wasn't that long ago you could buy these for under AU$70. I even picked up an 18yo for $150. I want to say 2015ish?
I just can't do it for these prices. Yeah, it was better than any other $70 bottle at the time or now by a long shot, but today I can get a Highland Park 18 that destroys both this and its 18 older brother for taste and quality for under $300, this for $260 as a special deal is completely truckin bonkers.
I have a photo of 18yo in 2017 at Costco with the price of $750
2024 it's doubled that price and hard to track down, don't ask me how I know
It just doesn't make sense. Yes, the Japanese do whisky as close to scotch as anybody but the Scottish, but that still leaves scotch the better of the two. Are there just that many weebs driving the price up?
Low supply and trendy.
I have a Hakushu 12 from my Japan trip a decade ago. Would pay $80 again. Not $400.
@kickling: I have had much better experiences with Japanese whiskeys than Scottish. And I've driven distillery tours of Scotland.
@rumblytangara: Of course.
As they say. Drink what you like. The way you like it.
Depends what you like. And for what purpose.
@rumblytangara: The two best places for scotch aren't places you can drive to, unless you count a car ferry (Orkney and Islay). And most tourists never make it to Campbeltown for the third best.
Japan does reliable and consistent very well, and they have a working palate so went with the Scottish version rather than the US sugar water. But they don't have enough history to get distilleries with proper depth of character yet.
@Parentheses: What.
What do you mean by insufficient history and the effect on current output style? What does depth mean?
They are producing whisky to the style that suits.
Over 100 years ago Taketsuru did his thing. Yamazaki distillery celebrated 100 years of whisky production recently. Nikka not far to reaching a century. The Japanese are very good at refinement so a century would contain so much achievement.
@kickling: They are indeed producing whisky to a style that suits. A generic and forgettable style, even if they do it very well.
But just like wine, the idea of a perfectly manicured and food science perfect product isn't actually the perfection people are looking for. The sorts of whiskies people talk about and latch onto for decades is from juuust the right imperfection, or the profile that fits a certain geographical region, or some weird quirk of how they do things. Culturally Scotland has been compatible with this, while Japan hasn't. There's strong historical reasons for this in Scotland and Japan, and Japan has only really shifted to a different mindset since the 80s.
@Parentheses: I understand what you're saying. But history has nothing to do with the style that you say people latch onto. Japanese whisky and it's cultural differences in history is of a style that is not trying to compete with the uniqueness that can be found in Scotland and their variety of timeless methods and so it is unfair to put it into this argument. They aren't going for funky Campbelltown or dunlop burnouts of Islay. Can't be compared.
@kickling: Their style is trying for classic Speyside, because Glenfiddich was their primary business inspiration when they started ramping up to try and enter the international market.
History isn't the style, but it's what makes the style. Scotland has landed where it is because it's had serious distillery churn, which leads to niches and differentiation. Pretty much every Japanese distillery that ever existed still exists, we're decades away from a proper cull and rebirth cycle that leads to that sort of outcome. Scotland's market also grew up in an environment that lived and breathed terroir - Japan has only quite recently latched onto that idea.
In 50 years or so Japan will have multiple different styles, hopefully some new and actually Japanese styles rather than mimicry. But for now they just don't - they're great for a cheap old faithful, but people paying ridiculous prices are just outing themselves as clueless.
@Parentheses: I know and agree with all of this. But I'm still unable to connect "depth of flavour" to "more history" when the inherent relationship is that the origin of Japanese whisky is Speyside, which in turn directly drives the direction of the generally two-dimensional style of product.
I think I am missing a point here somewhere. Will have to consult the brains trust to make sure I'm not going crazy.
@kickling: The point you're missing is that you're being open minded and not a bigoted snob who needs to fall back on specious arguments about 'history' 'tradition' and 'flaws are the feature.'
It's like the wine snobs of two decades ago who would argue that Old World wines were always better than New World upstarts for… reasons.
@rumblytangara: Correct. In my journey through whisky and making acquaintance with distillers you learn to appreciate the craft from production to consumer, and that subjectivity plays a significant role in consumerism. Everyone is welcome to an opinion, else what a boring world it would be. No one is immune to subjectivity.
And as I said before, drink what you like. The way you like it (stolen from Rex and Daniel). To express that one whisky "destroys" another is very personalised.
Sláinte.
The HP cask strength batches every year 👌
There are lots of whiskies I like in and around $120 and up to $160 if you are prepared to stretch a little. $260 is just ridiculous. I confess I haven't tried this one but I very much it would be twice as good as the 12 or so bottles I have at home.
I bought a mini hibiki 18 50ml in japan in 2017 for 300yen (around 3aud) now they are selling for $150-200. im still hating myself for not buying more back then lol
Yeah, I remember when the hibiki 17 full-sized bottle skyrocketed in price, it hadn't caught up to the mini bottles yet so there was a scramble to grab the stock where ever you could find them.
Prices seems to have decreased a lot to be able to sell for this little. One of the most over rated whiskey types.
I'd go for 3 bottles of scotch still
On the topic, where we can sell unopened whiskey? Ebay is no no
Whisky auction sites.
EG whisky trade
Or other auctions like langtons
Australian Whisky Auctions is the best. The Whisky List also does consignment. Stay away from Whisky Trade, i have had bad experiences buying from them.
Thanks. So its like ebay for alcohol? We pay only when sold? And fee is reasonable?
AWA is an auction and the fees are resonable. If you are after a certain value, then place a reserve price. However there is a fee involved in this. Reach out to the Whisky List on their consignment process
Ah yeah. I haven't touched whisky trade since it got sold off
Was in Japan last week and donki are still trying to flog these off at around $400… bastards
See? Thats why i surprised this is not $500 in Australia.
Suntory had a major clearance when they changed distributors from Coca Cola. I'd say this is part of the excess stock people need to move after they acquired it for "cheap"
I think people here talking "expensive" are just price anchored. You talk should've could've would've at $70, $90, $120. That's just your confirmation bias. I too have a photo… At $35. My perception of every other price is expensive but even I know better to say it's not, rather it is what it is and we should appreciate that this stuff shouldn't be at goon bag prices.
No.
There's no confirmation bias. It is simple comparison to competing products of similar/same quality that creates the conclusion of good value (or not). Japanese whisky is overpriced due to supply and demand.
Your comment is incorrect. The price is expensive because this is a 12yr old whisky at 43%, chill filtered and not a single malt. That is why this is overpriced. There are an amazing amount of drams of better quality than this at better prices. Yes it is an easy drinking nice drop, but at that price this is at the bottom of the list. We reflect upon cheaper prices because when Suntory hit the market stronger they gave amazing prices for nice whisky. Their market grew, then they restricted release and upped the price to the unrealistic. So when we say expensive, you are dam right it is.
As the other guy said, these prices are the result of an imbalance of 'supply and demand'. Not dissing their taste, they might be good quality dram as most have confessed, however, I still cannot justify paying these prices when an Ardbeg 10, Talisker 10, Lagavulin 12/16, GL 12 can be had for much cheaper on special and are top quality drams.
If you ever get the chance, you should definitely go to the Yamazaki distillery