Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky (700ml)

Hakushu 12-Year-Old Single-Malt Japanese-Whisky,

At the 2010 World Whisky Awards, whiskies fromJapan

won prizesin two of the top three categories for Scottish-style whisky.

 No one was surprise :Japanese whiskies have been

snapping up awards at international competitions for the last decade.

The problem has been keeping up with international  demand,

with the majority being consume within Japan.

This situation is slowly turning around, with Suntory exporting

106,000 cases last year, up 17 percent from 2008.

It hopes to increase sales by more than 20 percent in 2010

Production wise, Suntory’s Hakushu distillery (pronounced “Hack-shoo”)

is the largest malt whisky distillery not only in Japan, but in the world.

Built in 1973 coinciding withe Suntory’s 50th anniversary,

it’s set amidst spectacular pine forests close to the Japanese Alps.

Suntory also purchased the distillery surrounds to protect water quality

and conserve the local environment.

In fact, water from the district is consider the best in Japan,

something Suntory have capitalise on by bottling and selling it throughout the country.

Hakushu 12-Year-Old Single-Malt Japanese-Whisky

Also, the barley required for single malt whisky production here is imported

from Scotland or elsewhere (including countries like France, England and Australia).

The resulting whiskies make a significant contribution to Suntory’s

large numberof malts and blends.

Due to the distillery’s height above sea level (700m),

low pressure distillation occurs naturally, said to contribute to the light,

fruity style of the whiskies.

In conclusion, the 12 Year Old Hakushu expression is consider

a good introductionto Japanese styles for those who enjoy smokey malts,

though the degree of smokiness is said to vary from batch to batch.

Note:  Supplied as bottle only and may have slight

scuffing or scratching to the labels.