Suntory Whisky : Hakushu Distiller's Reserve

Characteristics and tasting advice for Suntory Whisky Hakushu Distiller's Reserve

Tasting

Appearance

Light gold to amber hue.

Nose

The nose reveals notes of peppermint, melon, and cucumber.

Palate

On the palate, the whisky unveils signature citrus notes of yuzu, grapefruit, and lemon thyme. The finish stands out for its subtle smokiness and toasted wood notes, offering remarkable length.

Food pairings and tasting moments

Hakushu Distiller's Reserve is best enjoyed neat or over ice to fully appreciate its herbal freshness and citrus notes.

Mixology

This exceptional Japanese single malt is ideally savored without embellishment to reveal the full complexity of its blend and the expression of its Japanese Alps terroir.

Other characteristics

This whisky offers a lightly peated character that brings a subtle smokiness on the finish. Aged in American white oak barrels, it is bottled at 43% alcohol and stands out for its vibrant, herbal profile, the signature of the Hakushu distillery.

A fresh and lightly smoky Japanese single malt

Suntory Whisky: a pioneer of Japanese whisky since 1923

Founded in 1899 by Shinjiro Torii, Suntory Whisky established the Yamazaki distillery near Kyoto in 1923, Japan’s first malt whisky distillery. The group later added the Chita distillery in 1972 and Hakushu in 1973, nestled in the Japanese Southern Alps. Owned by the Beam Suntory group since 2014, the House continues a philosophy rooted in nature and Japanese craftsmanship, drawing on pure waters from distinct terroirs. A pioneer of Japanese whisky for more than a century, Suntory stands out for its exceptional mastery of blending and cultural innovations such as mizuwari, combining Japanese tradition with international renown.

Hakushu Distiller's Reserve: a blend of three distinct crus

Hakushu Distiller's Reserve is a Japanese whisky single malt that embodies Suntory’s strong identity, a distillery created with the ambition of producing a whisky far removed from the traditional Scotch model. This spirit is the result of a sophisticated blend of three distinct crus: young, lightly peated malts aged in bourbon barrels that bring freshness; a malt aged for more than 18 years in American white oak barrels that adds body; and a heavily peated 12-year-old malt matured in bourbon barrels that contributes smoke.

The Hakushu distillery, located at the foot of Mount Kaikomagatake in the forests of the Japanese Alps, benefits from pure water and an exceptional natural environment that give this whisky its vibrant, herbal character. Distiller's Reserve is among the House’s emblematic creations, showcasing the freshness and liveliness that define whiskies produced in this unique high-altitude terroir.