At its core, the finest spirits on the planet take the utmost care, time and patience to perfect — and it’s the small nuances that often make the biggest impact.
That’s what Suntory wants to put front-and-center with the global debut of four Japanese single malt whiskies, dubbed the Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Collection and showcasing plenty of diversity in the art of whisky making.
The collection debuted in Japan in 2020 but now arrives in select global markets (including the United States) over the next month — the best things in life are worth the wait. The collection hinges on the idea of Tsukuriwake, or “artisanship through a diversity of making,” hence the varied expressions within the collection.
It’s also rather impressive that despite the different approaches to crafting and finishing each whisky, each is bottled at 48 percent ABV.
The offering includes everything from Yamazaki Spanish Oak, described as a “depth enhancer,” providing mature fruit notes and full, multi-layered flavor. Northern Spanish Oak casks help deliver what Suntory calls subtle acidity on the palate, with a buttery and lingering, slightly bitter finish.
However, Suntory considers Yamazaki Puncheon the heart of what makes Yamazaki Single Malt (first introduced in 1984) so distinctive. Hand-selected American Oak puncheon craftmanship meets carefully selected malts, resulting in a delicate, mild and velvety palate.
Puncheon casks are larger and provide complexity and vibrance through the aging process, Suntory notes.
The hidden star of the show, however, might be the Yamazaki Peated Malt offering, using heavily peated malted barley, resulting in smoky, earthy and complex notes throughout. It all imparts what Suntory calls a complex finish with a lingering peatiness, a quintessentially Suntory-esque take on single malt whisky.
To round out the stable of fine new Japanese whiskies, The Yamazaki goes bold by using rare Mizunara Japanese Oak casks. Long-mature malt whiskies take on plenty of distinctive character thanks to the native Japanese Oak casks, and even the finish calls to mind Japanese incense.
That process also makes it the most expensive offering of the quartet, with a suggested retail price of $620. The remaining trio of fine Japanese whisky retails for a suggested price of $450.
Given that great things take exceptional care and a precise approach to craftsmanship, any of these bottles is certainly worth investing in — your bar cart will never be the same.
