Liquid Gold
Each of the four pillars of Yamazaki whisky has been bottled separately, giving fans deeper insights into the making of this legendary Japanese single malt
The 1984 formulation of the original Yamazaki 12 Year Old single malt whisky has always been a closely guarded secret, but fans can now get a taste of its concept of Tsukuriwake, which roughly translates as “artisanship through a diversity of making”.
This August, the House of Suntory released the 2022 Yamazaki Limited Edition Tsukuriwake Selection, comprising bottlings of the four foundational pillars of Yamazaki whisky: Puncheon, Peated Malt, Spanish Oak and Mizunara. Tsukuriwake, says a Suntory spokesperson, is one of the main reasons why Yamazaki is such a beloved and sought‑after whisky, adding that “innovation in Japanese whisky is known to occur at the back end—in maturation or blending—but few understand the diversity of the whisky components that [is needed] to achieve this depth and gravitas.”
At Suntory, the Tsukuriwake approach brings together multiple components—such as non‑peated and peated malt and grain varieties, two types of washbacks, eight pairs with various shapes of pot stills, and maturation in four different oak casks (French, Spanish, Japanese and American)—to create the diversity required for a single malt of great complexity and longevity.
The four limited‑edition bottlings have each been given
monikers that point to their roles in the overall blend. The Yamazaki Puncheon 2022, for instance, is “the heart”—the inner core of subtle fruit sweetness, and the velvety and delicate butterscotch notes that make up its base. The capacity of the puncheon at
480 L allows the spirit to mature slowly, for deeper complexity.
Yamazaki Spanish Oak 2022, meanwhile, is highly prized as an “enhancer” for its richness of dried raisins and prunes, with the perk of lingering acidity bringing other flavours to life. These are sourced from forests in Spain, where they are assembled and seasoned before being shipped to Japan.
Another “enhancer” is the Yamazaki Mizunara 2022, which gives a particularly Japanese character and elegance, aromatic and round with spiced sweet notes. Many have noted its deep wood notes, reminiscent of mild incense. Due to the rarity of the mature mizunara oak required to make the casks, sometimes, new mizurana oak barrels are used.
Most surprising, perhaps, is the “hidden accent” that is Yamazaki Peated Malt 2022, which imbues Yamazaki whisky with its signature depth and lingering finish despite the delicacy of the whole. Tasted on its own, the Peated Malt component is just gently peated, giving herbal, citrus notes and hints of earthiness rather than medicinal Scotch peat.
While the House of Suntory was founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii to pursue his dream of crafting a quintessentially Japanese whisky, it took 60 years of perseverance and persistence as well as three master blenders and five chief blenders to develop the signature flavours of the Yamazaki single malt, which was finally launched in 1984. Shedding more light on the matter, the Suntory spokesperson explains: “In 1984, Japan was at the height of its economic growth period and the criteria for abundance was moving from a national to an individual level. It was this time of great diversifying values that a single malt whisky with a strong character was preferred and so, Yamazaki was born. It was a whole new step forward for Japanese whisky and for second master blender Keizo Saji, who sensed the mood of the era.” Since then, the global demand and appreciation for Japanese whisky has increased tremendously, earning the brand a Japanese Whisky Distiller of the Year nod at the 2021 International Spirits Challenge.
A word of advice though: don’t wait too long to enjoy the limited editions, which will not be available permanently even if the demand is there. “We like to create limited editions to show our innovative spirit. But ultimately, we want to make sure that our core whiskies that are permanent offerings and that have built the House of Suntory’s reputation around the world, such as the Yamazaki 12, are those we concentrate on producing,” says the spokesperson.
The 2022 Yamazaki Limited Edition Tsukuriwake Selection is now available at selected The Whisky Distillery stores and online at winesnspirits.sg.