The Yamazaki 12 year old Watami Founder's Edition and - President Edition were exclusive bottling for the Watami Chain and was only available through their restaurants and izakayas. Hailing from Japan's renowned distillery, the Yamazaki 12 year old single malt Watami expressions presents a unique variation of the beloved Yamazaki 12.
Originally introduced in 2008, this exclusive and limited-edition single malt is crafted from a blend of whiskies aged for at least 12 years. It was specifically commissioned for Miki Watanabe, the president of the Watami restaurant chain. The Watami brand, known for its casual Japanese dining, has now expanded its presence across Asia, including in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Cambodia.
The Yamazaki 12 Watami Founder's Edition is a special bottling produced in collaboration with Watami, a Japanese restaurant chain. It was released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Watami and features a 12-year-old Yamazaki single malt whisky. The specific characteristics and flavor profile of this edition vary from the standard Yamazaki 12-year-old expression as it has matured in Sherry Casks.
The Yamazaki 12 Watami President Edition is another limited release that was created to celebrate the appointment of the president of Watami. It also features a 12-year-old Yamazaki single malt whisky, contains more sherry cask-matured whiskies than the standard Yamazaki 12, so expect some more red fruit notes than the tropical fruit notes of the standard 12 year old.
These editions were produced in limited quantities and are not be widely available. If you're interested in acquiring them or learning more about their specific characteristics, I recommend contacting Yamazaki or Watami directly or reaching out to specialty whisky retailers like us for more detailed information. Inquire with us for sourcing these bottles.
Edit: As part of this Watami series, there is actually a third bottle "Yamazaki Watami Blenders Choice 12 year old". Could not find any background information so keen to hear from you if you do have some more information on these bottles.
