Suntory Whisky Shop W. Exclusive Single Grain Whisky

Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub.

In the build-up to the Christmas season (and winter-gift time here in Japan), new products are flooding the market from all sides. Nothing special - same old story. Needless to say, the drinks business is not standing idly by. That's old hat, too. But Suntory wouldn't be Suntory if they didn't have something special up their sleeve. And they do. On December 6th, Suntory's flagship store Whisky Shop W. - on the first floor of the Suntory Building in Osaka - is releasing their 4th store-exclusive bottling. The three previous ones were Hakushu and Yamazaki single malts, priced very reasonably, presented in a sexy little 300ml bottle. They were nice enough, but nothing to write home about, to be honest. Basically, they were designed to appeal to people who were curious about whisky, but not ready to buy a full-size bottle. They made for perfectly safe gifts, too: safe for the giver's wallet; equally safe for the receiver's palate. It was the whisky equivalent of that guy or girl everyone liked at your high school - you know who I'm talking about.

So what's all the fuss about this 4th release? Well, this is not just another Hakushu or Yamazaki concoction - as lovely as they can be - but a Chita single grain whisky. It's been put together by chief blender Shinji Fukuyo, and although there are some relatively young components in the mix, he also used some older grain whisky matured in ex-sherry casks. This is a rare chance to experience a different side of Chita. At the moment, the only alternative is the "standard" Chita bottling sold at Suntory's various distilleries and some clever retailers in Japan. People for whom Osaka is not exactly next-door need not despair: it will be available from their online shop as well... but they do not ship abroad, so if you're not based in Japan, you will need to speak to your friends here... or make some, quickly. It's a limited edition of 1,500 bottles (48% abv, by the way), priced at a mere 3,150 yen. And yes, it is almost Christmas, so they won't last long. We'll have tasting notes up here soon, so watch this space.