Fuji Sanroku 18-year-old single malt

Update 19.12.2010: Dramtastic's review added.

Fuji Sanroku 18 and Fuji Gotemba 18 are both from the Fuji Gotemba distillery and both say that they have been aged for 18 years on their bottles. The reason given to me by the guide at Gotemba for the very significant extra cost of this one is that a 24-year-old malt has been vatted with it.

Please note that there is a non-single malt version of Fuji Sanroku. If you want the single malt, make sure you look for "single malt" spelled out in Roman characters on the bottle. The non-single malt version has its alcohol content of 50 per cent displayed prominently.

Review by Nonjatta contributor - Dramtastic:
Kirin Sanroku 18-year old. 43 percent alcohol.
Nose: Pineapple, walnuts, white pepper, cigar leaf, clay, dried apricots, mixed herbs. After about 20 minutes, there is a strong note of treacle.
Palate: Pineapple, walnut, brazil nut, some lemon, blueberry bubblegum, quite herbaceous.
Finish: It has a medium length with pineapple, spices, herbs, nuts, blueberry bubblegum and, finally, the cigar leaf makes a return.
General comment: A well structured whisky of good complexity.

Alcohol
43 per cent
Price (May 2007)
700 ml - 15,742 yen