Yamazaki Distillery Reserve Single Malt Whisky, 70cl

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Yamazaki will undoubtedly bear the brunt of current difficulties facing the Japanese whisky sector, but the distillery is up for the challenge. As Motoyama says: “By promoting the craftsmanship and variety of malt whiskies produced at Yamazaki Distillery, and through the release of limited edition products, we hope to strengthen the value of the Yamazaki brand in Japan and globally, and establish it as the highest-quality single malt in the world.” Nose: Classic Yamazaki strawberries and dried fruits with floral notes coming from the Mizunara cask whisky. Fragrant sandalwood and maybe coconut. Certainly a whisky where you could get lost in its nose! Suntory’s renowned Yamazaki Distillery has long been a pioneering force in Japanese whisky, but its story has only just begun.

After a period of renovations, the Suntory Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka prefecture is ready to welcome visitors again from November 1 – just in time to celebrate 100 years since Suntory's founder, Shinjiro Torii, began his whisky enterprise in Yamazaki. With the latest revamp, you can now delve into the unique allure of the Yamazaki Distillery through an enriched exhibition and tour experience. Photo: Suntory Holdings The whisky museum and tasting lounge Phone: 1300 300 640 (Monday to Friday 8:30am - 9pm AEST; Saturday 9am - 9pm AEST; Sunday 10am - 8pm AEST) Union Press Ltd | Wigglesworth House, Fourth Floor, 69 Southwark Bridge Road, London, SE1 9HH, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7803 2420 Inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, Torii envisioned a Japanese approach by choosing a terrain and climate completely different to those of Scotland to create a unique kind of whisky. The Yamazaki Distillery is thus the birthplace of Japanese whisky. Nestled proudly on the periphery of Kyoto, this region was formerly referred to as "Minaseno", where one of the purest waters of Japan originates.The berry and jammy notes are good, there is lots of potential. But this whisky isn’t mature enough. Don’t get me wrong, this is not just common attitude against NAS whiskies. There are lots of good ones out there. This Yamazaki just isn’t good enough. Feels like they should’ve matured it a bit longer. Although this is the shorter of the two options, this tour offers whisky lovers a decent overview of the facility, where you can learn about the meticulous process behind whisky-making, view the casks used for ageing the spirit, and sample whiskies that aren't available on the commercial market. As a memento, you can take home an exclusive Yamazaki tasting glass. Enjoy two possible options: the "Yamazaki Whisky Museum viewing (no viewing of production process/ Free)" and the "Yamazaki Distillery Tour (Paid)," including a tour of the distillery itself as well as whisky tasting. Photo: Suntory Holdings Suntory Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka to resume facility tour in November 2023 Torii started his career at a pharmaceutical wholesaler, which also distilled western alcoholic beverages. In 1899, at the age of 20, he founded Torii Shoten in Osaka and started producing wine, launching the successful Akadama Port Wine, a sweet wine liqueur, eight years later. Torii then set himself an ambition to create a distinctly Japanese whisky with the build of Yamazaki. “We recognise this as the beginning of the history of Japanese whisky,” says Mineyuki Motoyama, general manager of Suntory Spirits’s whisky and imported liquor marketing department.

Buy souvenirs at the shop At the Yamazaki distillery gift shop, we offer various products made of materials of the maturation barrels. Keizo Saji pioneers Yamazaki’s move into single malt whisky, releasing Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki Phone: 1300 308 833 (Monday to Friday 8:30am - 9pm AEST; Saturday 9am - 9pm AEST; Sunday 10am - 8pm AEST)Introducing the flow of the manufacturing process We will explain the flow of the malt whiskey manufacturing process using videos and whiskey ingredients. Suntory Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve whisky has been matured in Bordeaux wine casks and Sherry casks. There is also some malt matured in Mizunara casks (Japanese oak), adding some subtle oak notes. Flushed Away goes the Yamazaki prestige? The balance is incredible and 'complex' doesn't quite cover it. Layered red fruit, dried raisin richness and spice that just keeps going. Despite this focus on NAS single malt, Shinji Fukuyo, chief blender at Suntory, says age is still an “important factor” to determine whisky’s value. But, he adds: “I believe the Distiller’s Reserve showed the value of whisky is not determined only by maturation periods. I hope it opened the consumer’s eyes for new value in whisky. We would like to continue pursuing both the value of ‘ageing time’ and other factors.” Yamazaki expanded Suntory’s whisky offering during the 1940s and the 1950s, but the next big change for the distillery came in 1961, when Torii’s son, Keizo Saji, became Suntory’s second president and Yamazaki’s second master blender. He oversaw the build of the Hakushu and Chita distilleries in the 1970s, paving the way for more experimental blends. Until the 1980s, whisky made at Yamazaki was bottled as Suntory blends, but Saji pioneered the distillery’s move into single malt whisky in 1984, with the launch of Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki. This was followed by Yamazaki 18 Years Old in 1992.