Suntory: Discover Japan’s most famous whisky!
Suntory is a Japanese company, that brews and distills alcoholic beverages. It also produces Japan’s most popular whisky.
History of Suntory
The company was founded in Osaka in 1899. The founder’s name is Torii Shinjiro. In the early years of the brand Shinjiro focused on the distribution of foreign wines. Around 1921 he started with the production of single malt whiskies, that Suntory sold in so called “Tory Whisky Bars”. The concept was simple and yet convincing: The chain of bars looked like a typical American bar and offered classic spirits, that you normally would find in the US.
Later, during the 1960s the whisky producer started to advertise whisky as a substitute for Sake. The company suggested to enjoy whisky with warm water and serve it accompanied by a meal.
In 1994 Suntory bought the Scottish distillery Bowmore. In 2014 the Japanese company also bought the famous whisky producer Jim Beam, that changed its name into Beam Suntory.
The company is also responsible for cultural activities such as the founding of the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokio. Furthermore the brand appears in a lot of Asian movie. It also has a short appearance in Sofia Coppola’s movie Lost in Translation.
Expressions of Suntory
The Japanese producer offers a great number of expressions. In order to give you a glimpse of the huge variety we gonna introduce you to three selected whiskies!
Yamazaki Suntory 12 years
Delicious single malt that appears dark golden. The whisky has a sweet bouquet, that surprises you with Canadian maple syrup, cinnamon, sweet apples, grapes and oriental jasmine blossom. The taste is smooth and combines floral notes with oranges, spices, caramel and woody notes. The finish is fruity and reminds you of pineapples, wood and white grapes.
Yamazaki Suntory 25 years
An outstanding, dark colored single malt, that ages for 25 years in sherry wood casks. The nose is very intense and contains aromas of burnt sugar, almond oil, oak and furniture polish. It tastes like syrup, oaks, licorice, dried peaches and exotic coconut. The finish is short, intense and contains aromas of licorice and butter caramel.
Suntory Hibiki Harmony
An amber colored whisky blend, that contains whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. The whisky has an elegant nose, that combines aromas of flowers, marmalade, wood and a hint of cinnamon. It tastes fruity, sweet and contains flavors of honey, orange peel, pepper, apricots and creamy, white chocolate. The finish linger long in your mouth and tastes like wood and fruits.
Hibiki and Yamazaki are the most famous expressions in Europe. There are a lot of other expressions, which are more popular in Japan and in other east Asian countries.
Did you ever try any expression of Suntory? If not, try them during your next whisky tasting! Curious about other whiskys from around the world? Get yourself a whisky subscription and discover the world of whisky!