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Whiskey Review: Bainbridge Yama Whiskey

We review Bainbridge Yama Whiskey, out of Washington, that's aged in virgin Mizunara casks to celebrate the relationship between the Northwest and Japan.

OVERALL RATING

  • Margarett Waterbury is a whiskey enthusiast and industry expert.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Nose:
Coconut, vanilla custard, clove, nutmeg, and a heavy note of spiced banana bread with a gooey center and dark crus. It’s a bit vaporous for its relatively low proof, but extremely inviting. With water, the spirit releases an intense aroma of honeydew, melon rind, and sweet flowers. suggests. But with water, considerable lushness emerges: aromatic fruits, spicy incense, lychee, salty butter on banana bread. More melon, but it’s perfumed rather than sweet, something like that hard hotel buffet cantaloupe. The finish is nice and long, with a mysterious savory note that reminds me of a nutty farmhouse cheese. Suntory, having released last year Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish, describes the influence of Mizunara wood as imparting “a distinctively mellow bouquet,” and there is an inherent softness and mellowness to this whiskey. I was surprised by how much water improved the experience; without, the
Palate:
Lots of oak character here balanced with a deep, dusty graininess inflected with notes of cherries and mango. At first it seems lean and a bit tart, less inviting than the nose suggests. But with water, considerable lushness emerges: aromatic fruits, spicy incense, lychee, salty butter on banana bread. More melon, but it’s perfumed rather than sweet, something like that hard hotel buffet cantaloupe. The finish is nice and long, with a mysterious savory note that reminds me of a nutty farmhouse cheese. Suntory, having released last year Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish, describes the influence of Mizunara wood as imparting “a distinctively mellow bouquet,” and there is an inherent softness and mellowness to this whiskey. I was surprised by how much water improved the experience; without, the palate felt a bit disjointed, but water seemed to fill in those gaps beautifully. Strange and delicious. FINAL SCORE: 90/100
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Margarett Waterbury

Margarett Waterbury is the author of "Scotch: A Complete Introduction to Scotland's Whiskies" and a full-time freelance writer and editor specializing in the beverage industry. Her work has graced the pages of numerous publications, including Whisky Advocate, Food and Wine, Spirited Magazine, Artisan Spirit, Edible Seattle, Sip Northwest, Civil Eats, Travel Oregon, and many others. She also boasts editorial experience as the former managing editor of Edible Portland and as a co-founder and former managing editor of The Whiskey Wash. In recognition of her talent, Margarett received the Alan Lodge Young Drinks Writer of the Year award in 2017 and was awarded fellowships for the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers in 2017 and 2019.

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