The Yamazaki Story of the Distillery 2024 Edition celebrates a century of Suntory's craftsmanship and looks ahead to the next 100 years. This unique single malt whisky distinguishes itself from the classic single malt with a complex blend of malt spirits aged in Mizunara and Spanish oak barrels. Its rich, reddish amber hue alludes to the intricate flavours and richness, promising an extraordinary sensory experience. The 2024 release is immediately captivating with rich sweetness of dried persimmons and a bouquet of spices, including cloves. The palate is mellow and nuanced, layered with orange marmalade and the gentle earthy sweetness of red beans. Smouldering spices and zesty orange peel add to the allure.
Maker:
The Yamazaki Distillery is Japan’s first and oldest malt whisky distillery founded in 1923 by Suntory's founder Shinjiro Torii. Yamazaki is not only the soul place of Suntory Whisky but the birthplace of Japanese Whisky. Inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, it is said that Torii selected the land of Yamazaki at the foot of Mt. Tennozan, for its high-quality water source and natural environment ideal for whisky making.
Yamazaki was born from the surprising, delicate yet profound experience of a Japanese single malt whisky. Multi-layered with fruit and Mizunara aromas, Yamazaki whiskies are complex and deep. Made at Yamazaki Distillery, the birthplace of Japanese whisky, its signature multi-layered taste is highly praised by whisky connoisseurs all over the world. The House of Suntory honours the birthplace of Japanese whisky, capturing and celebrating the pioneering roots of one of the world’s greatest whiskies from the place Shinjiro Torii chose to begin the illustrious journey of Japanese whisky. Fifth generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo has returned to the roots of what made Yamazaki Single Malt quintessentially Yamazaki: deep, complex and multi-layered with fruit and Mizunara notes.
Yamazaki Whisky is Suntory's flagship single malt whisky, from Japan’s first and oldest malt distillery, multi-layered with fruit and Mizunara aromas. From Yamazaki was born the surprising, delicate yet profound experience of a Japanese single malt whisky. Spiritual and deep, made at Yamazaki Distillery, the soul place of Japanese whisky, its signature multi-layered taste is highly praised by whisky connoisseurs all over the world. Today, Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki Whisky is not only the No.1 single malt whisky in Japan, but is enjoyed in more than 35 countries.
Between 2014 - 2017, the annual Yamazaki Limited Editions were some of the most sough after annual release from Japan. These whiskies were limited in numbers and contained some of the best Yamazaki liquid. Once they realised there were shortages they took these released to the wayside, making room for other non-age statement whiskies such as Essence of Suntory Volumes 3 and 4 and the recent Yamazaki Cask Finish releases.
The Distillery:
About 95% of the barley for Japanese whisky is imported from Scotland, where it’s malted by Scottish maltsters. Yamazaki uses a mix of malted barleys, mostly non and lightly-peated, unlike Scotch distillers who trade whisky for different styles. Instead, Yamazaki employs various methods for blending.
The wort is fermented in modern stainless-steel and traditional Douglas Fir washbacks. Yamazaki uses two types of yeast: distiller’s yeast for a clean, estery wash and ale yeast for fruity, creamy notes. A long, up to three-day fermentation contributes to fruity and grassy notes, unlike shorter fermentations which produce oily, nutty flavours.
Yamazaki’s still house features six pairs of copper pot stills of different shapes. Straight-sided stills give a fuller, creamier spirit, while rounded ones produce a lighter spirit. The first distillation is direct-fired, adding a toasted character, while the second uses indirect steam heating, yielding a lighter spirit. Some stills are imported from Scotland, others made locally. Both worms and condensers are used, with the twice-distilled spirit at 65-70% abv being diluted to 60-63% before aging.
Yamazaki uses five types of oak casks in various shapes and sizes, including bourbon barrels, hogsheads, and Suntory’s original puncheons. Casks are made from North American white oak, Spanish oak, and Japanese Mizunara oak. White oak imparts vanilla and coconut flavors, Spanish oak adds fruity and chocolate notes, and Mizunara provides a distinct eastern character with sweet incense and citrus notes. The casks vary in size and degree of char, and maturation time. Yamazaki warehouses hold only 15% of the whisky; the rest is aged at the Omi Aging Cellar. Earthquake-resistant concrete warehouses stack barrels four high.
Like their Scottish counterparts, Japanese Whisky is aged in pot stills but benefits from Japan’s warmer climate, which enhances oak flavour extraction. This, combined with Japanese oak, gives Yamazaki whisky its truly unique character. The blenders at Yamazaki, who taste 200-300 samples daily, ensure each vatting is harmonised for six months before bottling, with no caramel used for colouring—only the oak’s influence determines the whisky’s hue.
Nose - Dried Persimmon, Honey, Incense
Opens with dried persimmon, rich honeyed sweetness, with flourishes of warming incense and clove spices.
Palate - Orange Peel, Smoke, Smouldering Spices
The flavour is mellow and intricate, presenting the mature sweetness of orange marmalade and the gentle sweetness of red beans. The complex interplay of smokiness and spice adds to the allure.
Finish - Sandalwood, Light Resin, Vanilla
The aftertaste is long and beautiful, with a lingering blend of smokiness and spice that leaves a lasting impression.
The Finer Details
Style - Japanese Whisky
Country - Japan
Region - Kyoto
Bottle Size - 700ml
ABV - 43%
