Yamazaki

Yamazaki's History

Yamazaki Distillery was established in 1923 by Shinjiro Torri. An accomplished businessman, Torri already produced his own plum wine and imported European wine. In preparation for building his distillery, he sent his worker Masetaka Taketsuru to Scotland to study the art of distillation. Over the course of three years, Taketsuru visited multiple Scotch Whisky distilleries before returning to Japan. Having learned the importance of location and soft water accessibility, Torri and Taketsuru searched for a terrain suitable for their distillery. They settled at the foot of Mount Tenno, between Kyoto and Osaka. Taketsuru had suggested Hokkaido, where he would later end up building his own distillery (Yoichi Distillery). In 1924 the distillery began production under Taketsuru, who was the distillery manager. Torri’s company was named Kotobukiya, but was renamed to Suntory in 1929. Their first Japanese whisky – Suntory White – was quite peaty like Scottish style whiskey. Since the Japanese taste at the time did not align with these flavours, and the distillery changed the blend to be fruitier and less smoky. Suntory’s first Blended Whiskey was released in 1932. It was made up of a combination of Scotch Single Malts and Yamazaki’s malt and grain Whiskies. The distillery’s first Single Malt Whisky, the Yamazaki 12 Year Old single malt, was released in 1984. In 2010, Whiskey Magazine awarded Suntory Distiller of the Year. Their success was further solidified by Jim Murray naming Yamazaki Single Malt Cherry Cask as Whiskey of the Year in Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.

Yamazaki Production

Yamazaki Distillery produces approximately 6,000,000 litres per year. Until 1971, Yamazaki used its own malting floors, but then mothballed them in favour of exporting grains across the globe. The distillery utilises two large mash tuns with capacities of 4 and 18 tons. Soft water is drawn from various sources in the region, since no one source can provide enough alone. The distillery has many sizes and shapes of stills; some are directly and some indirectly heated; some traditional worm tubs and others tube shaped. Each different shape influences the type of whiskey made. Unlike Scottish warehouses, Yamazaki Distillery’s warehouses are multi-storey and span hundreds of metres. Some casks are stored off-site at various other warehouses. Some casks are made from fresh Japanese oak, but most casks are ex-Bourbon. Additionally, Yamazaki has their own cooperage, dating back to 1934.

Tasting and Malt

Though the malt is usually unpeated, there are occasionally peated or heavily peated malts used. The barley is malted to various degrees. The Suntory whiskeys are known for their sweet flavours (such as vanilla and crème brulee) and fruity aromas.

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