Japanese Single Malt Whisky

Suntory's head start

Suntory built Japan's first whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and launched the country's first whisky around 1929. The Yamazak linei became synonymous with Japanese single malt whisky. As the distillery expanded, Hakushu was developed as its smokier, herbier counterpart.

Two distilleries, two personalities

Yamazaki leans on sherry butts alongside American and Japanese Mizunara oak, giving Japanese single malt whiskies a fruity, fragrant depth that's made it something of a cult favourite. Hakushu, meanwhile, is assembled around both lightly and heavily peated malt for a smokier, more herbaceous character. Drop a glass of each side by side and you would struggle to believe they came from the same company.

Close cousins of Scotch, with their own accent

Japanese single malt whisky making was built on Scottish know-how, inspired by Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky. Copper pot stills are still included, so a Japanese single malt whisky sits comfortably alongside a Speyside or Highland dram on the shelf. However, it commonly drifts towards a less overt sweetness.