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Japanese whiskey is at least a century younger than Scotch, but very similar to its older brother. Is that the aroma is not so smoky and peaty. This is not surprising: there is not so much peat in the Land of the Rising Sun, it is saved and partially replaced with Scottish. Among the Japanese, there are unexpectedly many whiskey lovers who prefer this drink over sake, traditional for the country. And most people like Suntory, which owns 70% of the Japanese market.
History of the brand
It all started in the last year of the 1907th century, when young entrepreneur Shinjiro Tori opened the doors of his Kotobukiya liquor store in Osaka. At first, only Spanish wines were sold in the store, and since 95, the first Japanese port created by Tory appeared in the assortment. At that time, the Japanese market for alcoholic beverages was sparse – sake and shochu accounted for XNUMX% of sales, and the Japanese were just beginning to try wine and beer.
Despite the tradition of “closedness” of enterprises, Shinjiro Tori actively promoted his wines on the market: he invited journalists, convened press conferences, and drew attention to the beneficial and even medicinal properties of wine. Advertising campaigns helped Tory become famous, expand the range of products – different types of tea, sauces, spices and even beer appeared.
In the 20s of the last century, Tory decided to take up the production of whiskey. And he approached the matter with all seriousness – first he sent a talented technologist Masataka Taketsuru to study in Scotland, and after his return he began to build a distillery in the town of Yamazaki between Kyoto and Osaka. This place was chosen for the construction of the plant for two reasons:
- the climatic conditions here are almost identical to those of the Scottish Highlands;
- local artesian water was famous for its softness and purity.
The first spirits were received at the distillery in 1923, after which the chief technologist, who had invested a lot of effort in production, left Kotobukiya and founded the main competitor, Nikka, in the city of Yoichi. Shinjiro Tori continued to work on his own – as a blender, taster and chief technologist. The first bottle of whiskey, called the “sun of Tory” (Sun is the sun, and tory is the name of the manufacturer), was released in 1929.
The market was conquered gradually, the Japanese tried different drinks with interest, but still the usual sake did not lose popularity. But whiskey has already been associated only with Kotobukiya. In 1937, Suntory Kakubin was released, which was received more than favorably by fans of strong drinks – sales grew day by day. But the Second World War began, production decreased, and even the Suntory Old, released in 1940, only slightly revived the Japanese market.
Production was suspended due to hostilities, but it was at this time that the company had its own research and development center. It was headed by the youngest son of Shinjiro Tori, 24-year-old chemist Keizo Saji. Thanks to the work of the center, the company began to develop intensively after the war and gradually conquer the world market.
After the death of the founder of the company in 1962, Keizo Saji, who headed it, renames Kotobukiya to Suntory and expands the range – in addition to Suntory’s own whiskey, he begins to produce licensed American. Consumer demand is already so strong that the company is building a new distillery in Hakushu. In the forest, at the foot of the mountain, in a cool and humid climate, a new single malt appeared – Suntory Hakushu and several varieties of blended drinks.
Manufacture
Whiskey was made according to traditional Scottish technology, with double distillation in pot stills, from malt purchased in Scotland. Corn was used as a grain base for blends.
The production technology is not much different today, when Suntory has become a holding company, and sales are measured in hundreds of millions of dollars. Corn whiskey is produced at the third distillery – Shita (Shita), and malt whiskey – at Hakushu and Yamazaki. The drink matures in classic oak barrels, which are made from American oak and mizunara, an expensive Japanese oak. Some of the barrels are bought abroad, mostly from Spanish sherry.
Today Suntory is the world famous Suntory Holdings Limited, with subsidiaries in Scotland, France and Germany. He owns 8 vineyards in California, a German brewery, a dozen distilleries in France. The holding is managed by the grandson of the founder of the company, Nobutade Saji.
Features of Japanese whiskey
- All blended Japanese whiskeys contain Scottish spirits, either purchased in Scotland or from their own Scottish distilleries.
- Japanese blends are made up of fewer spirits than Scottish ones, since the choice of foreign drinks is not so great, and there are few distilleries of their own.
- The fermentation of malt in Japanese distilleries takes place in wooden containers, and not in metal ones, as in Scotland.
- Stills are not of the same type, but have an original shape for each type of whiskey.
- Japanese whiskey matures in oak barrels for at least 3 years, which is explained by traditions borrowed from the Scots.
- The Japanese still buy peat from Scotland for smoking malt.
- Whiskey in Japan is drunk not after dinner, like a digestif, but during, so manufacturers take into account the compliance of the drink with certain dishes. For example, Suntory Hakushu, smelling of peat smoke, is served with seafood.
- The Japanese do not like strong odors, so they drink whiskey diluted. Sometimes a glass contains only 1 part whiskey and 9 parts water.
Interesting Suntory Facts
- It is the first Asian company to feature Hollywood artists in advertisements.
- The company owns two art museums – in Tokyo and Osaka, the Suntory Music Foundation and the eponymous center for biomedical research.
- The best Japanese rugby club is called Suntory Sungoliath and is owned by the company.
- Suntory is the sponsor of the annual professional golf tournament in London.
- The company has its own publishing house and a network of fitness clubs.
Types of whiskey Suntory
Suntory Old, 43%. Behind the black glossy glass is a blended drink of deep amber color, with a light aroma of sweets and a pleasant mild taste. Despite the rather high alcohol content, it is easy to drink, leaving a short nutty aftertaste.
Suntory Yamazaki 12 years, 43%. Single malt whiskey from the first distillery Suntory has a rich amber color, smells of dried fruit and leaves a long aftertaste with notes of honey. The taste is very mild, which is due to the low mineral content in artesian water and twelve years of aging in Japanese oak barrels.
Suntory Yamazaki 18 years, 43%. An eighteen-year-old single malt of bright copper color with golden glimmers smells pleasantly of cherry jam. This is due to aging in cherry barrels. Cherry wood is rich in tannins, which provide rich color, characteristic taste and aroma.
Suntory Yamazaki 25 years, 43%. The single malt whiskey was created in honor of the company’s centenary – the first bottle of Suntory Yamazaki 25 years appeared in 1999. A quarter of a century in sherry casks provided the drink with a bright amber color with a fiery red tint and a light aroma with notes of dried fruits. Soft fruity taste with a subtle hint of chocolate is harmonious, a long aftertaste with honey notes completes the pleasant impression of the drink.
Suntory Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve, 43%. Suntory’s top single malt matured in sherry casks, and spent the last six months in new Japanese oak casks. Mizunara gave the drink a golden color and enriched the taste with soft woody notes. A delicate raspberry-cinnamon aroma was formed under the influence of sherry vapors preserved in the wood. Even a small sip has a long aftertaste with notes of raisins, vanilla and cinnamon.
Suntory Hibiki 12 Years Old, 43%. Blended whiskey acquired an amber color and a subtle aroma of almonds and cherries due to twelve years of aging in sherry and bourbon casks. For the last six months, it has been maturing in new barrels made of mizunara, Japanese oak, which enriched the taste of the drink with woody notes that emphasized fruity tones.
Suntory Hibiki 17 Years Old, 43%. A blended honey-colored drink with a rich, balanced taste, the brightest notes of which are raisins and apples. Whiskey has the aroma of peat smoke and spices.
Suntory Hibiki 21 Years Old, 43%. An aged blend of deep amber color with a reddish tinge and a light fruity aroma. Whiskey matured in cherry barrels, which enriched the taste with fruity hints and a hint of caramel.
Suntory Hibiki 30 Years Old, 43%. The most exquisite blend of Suntory, blending spirits matured in white American oak barrels. This whiskey is dark honey in color, with the aroma of smoke and sweets. The rich taste is saturated with hints of fruit, vanilla and cinnamon. The label on the bottle is made of washi – Japanese hand-made paper, and the neck is decorated with 30 notches emphasizing the age of the drink.
Suntory Hakushu 12 years, 43%. An amber single malt from a distillery located in a mountainous region with a climate reminiscent of the Scottish highlands. Old oak barrels from American whiskey are used for aging – their wood is softer than new, retains the aroma of bourbon for a long time and enriches the Japanese drink with it. Whiskey has a mild fruity taste with a slight hint of smoke.
Suntory Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve, 43%. Aged in white oak casks, a single malt whiskey of light golden color, with a fresh aroma of green apple and spring herbs, unusual for Suntory and other Japanese malts. The taste of the drink is multifaceted, with a predominance of citrus notes and a long aftertaste with smoky notes.
Suntory Royal, 43%. The shape of the original bottle seems to follow the contours of a traditional Japanese symbol – a Shinto shrine. Behind the dark glass is a light golden drink with a delicate aroma of vanilla. The taste of whiskey is full, balanced, with hints of dried fruit and smoky aftertaste notes.
Suntory Kakubin, 40%. The most popular 10-alcohol blend in Japan, it was first released in 1937, this date is indicated on the label. The original colorless glass bottle is shaped like a tortoise shell. Whiskey bright amber color, with vanilla aroma and mild taste with hints of honey and smoke, which is explained by eight years of aging spirits in bourbon barrels.
Suntory Sherry Cask 2016 Edition, 48%. The drink was created by master blender Shinji Fukuyo, who personally travels to Spain to select barrels from Oloroso sherry rich in flavor nuances. Mahogany-colored whiskey, with vanilla and dried fruit aromas, with a full, balanced taste, in which notes of honey, chocolate and nuts are clearly traced. This is an exquisite single malt from a limited edition of 5 bottles.
