Suntory Japanese Whisky

Water: Underground water from Mt.Tennoh

Yamazaki Distillery was the first whisky distillery built in Japan (1923). The first domestic whisky "Suntory Shirofuda" (blended) went on sale in 1929.

The distillery is situated at the foot of Mt. Tenzan on west-east of Kyoto where three rivers meet to form the River Yodo just south of the distillery. The well water in this district is famous for its good character despite its location between the two big cities of Osaka and Kyoto.

The Distillery has six pairs of stills each pair consisting of one wash still and one spirit still numbered in pairs 1 to 6.

In 2005 Suntory replaced three pairs of stills No 1, No2, and No4. The new stills are smaller than the stills they replaced and all have a different still shape.

No1 pair of Stills have straight necks with the lyne arm of the wash still slanted sharply downward for a heavier spirit.

No2 pair of stills both have boil balls in the necks for a lighter spirit.

No4 pair of stills have wide and straight necks for a well balanced spirit.

The Distillery offers a good visitor centre and shop. Visitors can try Yamazaki 12 year old malt whisky for free. However their whisky tasting house "Yamazaki Whisky Kan" by the distillery has a wide range of cask samples so that visitors can try them at reasonable prices.

Single malt whisky:

Yamazaki 10 year old 40%,

Yamazaki 12 year old 43%,

Yamazaki 18 year old 43%,

Yamazaki 25 year old

Yamazaki 35 year old

Yamazaki 50 year old

Hakushu Distillery: Owners Suntory

Water: Underground water of Kai-Komagatake

The original Hakushu Distillery was built in 1973, located in a forest setting in the foothills of Japans southern Alps This first distillery had 24 stills in various shapes. The whisky supplied was only used for blending. However this distillery has been silent since the mid 1990’s.

A second distillery was built in 1981 called the Hakushu Higashi distillery and initially was treated as separate distillery to the original Hakushu. This 2nd distillery has now become the main Hakushu Distillery.

The Hakushu Distillery elevation is 700 metres above sea level; this altitude creates a low pressure distillation effect. So distillation takes place at a lower temperature, this makes it more difficult for the more oilier heavier compounds with their higher boiling points to be distilled resulting in a lighter estery spirit.

The new distillery has a traditional Mash turn with a cooper hood; wooden washbacks; the 12 stills are heated directly by coal fires. The stills in this distillery are smaller than the original lantern shaped pot stills in the old distillery and are in a variety of shapes sizes with different lyne arm configurations so to produce many different styles of spirit.

Hakushu Distillery has a visitor centre, shop and museum on site.

Hakushu Single Malt Japanese Whisky:

Hakushu 10 year old,

Hakushu 12 year old

Hakushu 15 year old Cask strength

Hakushu 18 year old

Hakashu Vintages 1981, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1988, 1990,

The Cask of Hakushu 1989, 1994

Suntory Pure Malt Hakushu 20 year old

Published 8 times a year Whisky Magazine is the perfect complement to the dram in your glass. Every issue brings you fascinating articles on the art, science and romance of the 'water of life', plus page after page of tasting notes

Click Image for more details or to Subscibe