Where to buy Yamazaki Single Malt Whiskey

I went to a mom and pop shop today and found a yamazaki 12yr for 9.5k, pretty cheap... the yamazaki limited 2016 vs the 12yr old.. tough one, 12yr goes down smoother but 16 limited is a lot more complex.

Yamazaki 12 years at 8380 Yen & Yamazaki limited edition 2016 at 9800 Yen, price are before tax. Each customer are limited to 1 bottle of the limited edition 2016.

Are there any locations in Tokyo that still have Yamazaki 18? I'm staying in Roppongi.

Thanks!

Lawrence, where did you find the 2016 Ltd Ed?

Am in Osaka now. Any name of the store I can buy the Yamazaki 12 yrs?

I was in Ikeda, a suburb few stations down from Osaka, yesterday and a mom and pop liquor store had 6 bottles of the yamazaki 12 years there. Also a 12 year Hibiki. The store is just next to the station, can't miss it.

Just returned from Japan. Picked up the following (amongst others):
Yamazaki 12: 9,180 yen
Yamazaki 18: 27,000 yen
Hibiki 17: 11,000 yen

All within Namba and Shinjuku areas.

So if I understand correct. Finding a Yamazaki 12yr will not be easy, but not impossible?

I am visiting Japan in March/April and will stay several days in Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama, Tokyo and Osaka.

Is there a 'best place' to focus on buying a 12yr old Yamazaki? Is any of these cities fine to search, or do I have the best chances in Kyoto for example?

I am keen in buying at least one bottle :).

Age statement Japanese whiskies in Tokyo are harder than ever. I Checked about 20 shops this week (Yamaya, BIC Camera, Mitsukoshi, Shinanoya, Hasegawa, etc). Here's my findings;

- Yamazaki 12 was available at some shops in limited quantities, maximum 1 per customer. Y8,400. When I returned a day later to the same shops they were gone.
- Did not see a single bottle of Hibiki 17 or Yamazaki 18.
- Hasegawa has bottles of Hibiki 21 for Y44,500 plus tax. Department stores are charging Y50,000 for the LE airport bottle.
- Big Liquors in Ginza had one bottle of Hibiki 21 for Y21,000 + tax which I picked up. This store is rarely mentioned and is a gem only a few steps from Shinanoya Ginza.
- Shinanoya had a bottle of Hibiki 30 for Y250,000.
- Hakusuhu 12 and 18 seemed to be fairly available at Y9,000 and Y24,000, respectively. It is easy to find these in the US so I did not bother.

Mini bottles of Hibiki 17 and Yamazaki 12 are available almost everywhere for a decent price of Y800 each. I picked up 6 mini bottles of Hibiki 17 for about Y4,800.

You can of course always buy most of these bottles for 200% the retail price at the airports.

Happy hunting.

Will any of these whiskeys be cheaper at the distillery after the tour?

Good luck getting hands on anything apart from Hakushu.
I religiously go around shops in Kyoto and Osaka and almost never find anything aged YAMAZAKI or HIBIKI. Before xmas they threw some out there but it's all gone now.
I love it to drink and just want to enjoy the whisky. I have to get it when I see it. There is a guy in Osaka who helps me out for the ones I never ever find like YAMAZAKI 18 or HIBIKI 21. Is the only way.
Even going to the distillery is not going to get results, only tasting there. No yama12 or anything
If you are coming to Japan hoping to get the good stuff then you will need to dig deep or search to find people who can help you out who live here. You will pay more but it's better than wasting your time cruising the shops all in vain.
Good luck!

Anyone out searching right now in any of the major urban centers will be very disappointed when it comes to the age statement stuff. Everything is dried up for now. Maybe cuz its after the holidays. Cant even find any miniatures, at least ones that are under 1000 yen each. Even at Narita in terminals 2/3 you will only find Hibiki 21for the usual inflated price. I wonder if the duty free has stopped selling hibiki 17 ,have not see it in a while.

Yeah I was in Kansai and Tokyo and Hibiki 17 was no where in duty free. What's the go?
I managed to find a guy on Facebook who hooked me up for hibiki 17 and 21. I shoved them in check in bags and was fine. I paid more than retail but still loads less than in Australia. Hibiki 17 was 20,000 and 21 was 40,000.
Beats paying LOADS more here in Australia and it's the real deal too!

Has anyone seen some aged whisky recently? I've spotted a Hibiki 21 in the Electronics area at 27000 yen but it was gone by the time I got back from the ATM... visited at least 20 shops afterwards but no luck...

You can buy the mini bottles of Yamazaki 12, Hakushu 12 and Hibiki 17 at some Loft and Tokyu Hands for 800yen. The Shibuya Loft had them when I went and so did the Hiroshima Tokyu Hands.

Sorry I am from Singapore so I don t know about japan because I am always ordering online.

Hibiki 21.. 50,000 yen, Yamazaki 18.. 50,000yen, Hakushu 18.. 50,000yen at Haneda International Terminal.

I've seen the mini bottles at Tokyo Hands in Ikebukuro for 780\. The most consistent supply is at the airport, HND being the easiest.

I saw this in Narita duty free for just under 120 USD for the 15 year version. I have tried the 12 year version and it compares well to the Scottish single malts. Expect the 15 is awesome

Found 2 bottles of Yamazaki 12 for 8500 yen and there was something else for 20000yen i think it was a 21 year old only 1 bottle. Didnt really look at it cause it was out of my price range. It was at liqour mountain in shinjuku near the golden gai/red light district. Was thinking of grabbing 1 of the Yamazaki 12's but I might just grab a cheap scotch instead.