02 Jun Whisky Wednesday: Suntory’s Hakushu 12 year old whisky

We’ve got another Japanese single malt whisky for Whisky Wednesday here on the blog and at our Surry Hills small bar: Suntory’s Hakushu 12 year old whisky.

Learn about the whisky below and then come in to Tokyo Bird to put the tasting notes to the test.

Whisky: Hakushu 12 year old
Distiller: Suntory 
Origin: Yamanashi prefecture, southern Honshu, Japan
Type: Single malt
ABV: 43.5%

Tasting notes

Colour (what does it look like?):
Champagne gold

Nose (what does it smell like?):
Basil, pine needle, green apple, campfire smoke, cucumber, straw, sage, green banana

Palate (what does it taste and feel like?):
Sweet pear, mint, kiwifruit, citrus, bamboo, wet moss, chamomile

Finish (how does the flavour finish on the palate?):
Green tea, subtle smoke, cooling mint

Background

Hakushu 12 year old whisky was recently awarded ‘Best World Whisky’ at the 2015 International Whisky Competition 2015.

Hakushu is Suntory’s second distillery – known as “The Forest Distillery” – and is nothing short of spectacular. It is located in a national rainforest at the foothills of Mount Kai-komagatake in the Southern Japanese Alps where three rivers intersect. This area produces an incredibly soft or demineralised water perfect for whisky, resulting in a light, clean, fresh and overall delicate dram.

Labelled as the “fresh” whisky, Hakushu is inherently connected with nature and a harmonious balance of flavour ensues. The distillery also looks after a large portion of the national park it’s located within, taking care of and funding the conservation of wildlife and flora in the surrounding area.

The preference for aging Hakushu 12 comes in the way of mostly ex-bourbon barrels and hogshead (a larger bourbon barrel) to create the creamy texture that’s prominent in its mouthfeel, with gentle peat to round off the flavour profile.

Best drinking

I prefer mine neat, or with a splash of water to bring out the cooling mint flavours and the lovely spice. The pear really does dominate but the subtle peat helps to round off the sweetness.

What do you think?

Leave a comment with your thoughts on Suntory’s Hakushu 12 year old whisky – or come try it at Tokyo Bird tonight! Mention #WhiskyWednesdays to get free bar snacks with your Whisky of the Week (Wednesdays only).