Following an initial release of 100 bottles in Japan last year, the House of Suntory has today announced the international release of its oldest expression to date.
Yamazaki 55 Year Old (46% ABV) is a single malt Japanese
whisky, comprised of malts distilled in 1960, under the supervision of
Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii, which was initially matured in Mizunara casks. Then in 1964, under Suntory’s second Master Blender Keizo Saji’s tenure, the whisky
was transferred into White Oak casks.
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| Yamazaki 55 Year Old |
Suntory’s Fifth-Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo worked closely with Third-Generation Master Blender Shingo Torii, in deploying their signature art of blending to properly reveal the exceptional depth and complexity of the Yamazaki 55 Year Old.
This latest release, which celebrates the Japanese “Showa”
era of the 1960s that represented a major period of change for the House of
Suntory, is said to deliver notes of sandal wood and well-ripened fruit on the
nose, followed by a slightly bitter and woody palate.
To honour its ongoing commitment to give back to society,
Beam Suntory, the owners of the House of Suntory, will donate $5,000 for every
bottle released in this year’s 100-bottle collection, totaling $500,000, to the
White Oak Initiative, a group committed to the long-term sustainability of
America’s white oak forests.
Commenting on the launch, Shinji Fukuyo, Suntory’s
Fifth-Generation Chief Blender, said: “Throughout the process of blending
Yamazaki 55, I used as inspiration the passage of time and ‘Wabi-sabi’ – the
Japanese belief that imperfections can help to ultimately contribute to
perfection. While I often view other extra aged whiskies as art, I consider
Yamazaki 55 to be more like a Buddhist statue: calm and mysterious, requiring
time to truly enjoy the inner beauty.”
Yamazaki 55 Year Old, will be available later this month
from specialist retailers, for a RRP of $60,000.
Posted by Steve Rush