Hakushu Malt 12-year-old Suntory / 43% / 0.7l
- Hakushu Distillery was built in 1973 in Yamanashi Prefecture as the second Suntory malt whisky distillery.
Product description
Hakushu, based in Yamanashi Prefecture, is Suntory's second malt distillery.
Built in 1973 and expanded in 1981, it was the largest malt distillery in the world – equipped with 36 stills and capable of producing 30 million liters of distillate per year. In the 1990s, as a result of a drop in demand for Japanese whisky by over 75%, the owners reduced the number of stills to 11 and consequently the distillation capacity to 4 million liters. In 2014, as a result of the boom, two additional stills were installed. Hakushu 12 years old has been the distillery's "calling card" for many years. The whisky is aged in sherry and bourbon casks, first and second fill, and bottled at 43% abv. Unfortunately, its supply only covers a fraction of the demand.
Aroma : fruity, slightly grassy, bouquet of wild flowers, cherries, plums, grapefruits, marzipan, milk fudge, vanilla, notes of tobacco and peat smoke.
Taste : mild and expressive, vanilla pudding, lime jam, Meyer lemons, nectarines, chamomile tea, notes of lemongrass and mint and peat smoke in the background.
Finish: quite long, with notes of vanilla, honey, citrus, candied ginger and peat smoke in the background.