JAPANESE SUNTORY WHISKIES ARE BACK

 JAPANESE Yamazaki STAGES COMEBACK WITH 2020 EDITIONS

Suntory has released 5 component bottles as a new "Yamazaki 2020 Edition" series on November 4, but there's a catch: they aren't available at retail yet, only in bars. Some classic components like Puncheon and Mizunara return, and there are also some new faces. With luck, they should be available across global markets as well mid-2021, according to George Koutsakis, a Japanese whisky enthusiast.

Yamazaki 2020 Edition first came on the radar back in September, when Suntory released information about the bottles. While the bottles themselves have now been released, it looks like they aren't available to the general public. Instead, as we've seen with the various ESSENCE of Suntory Whisky releases, the bottles are only available via wholesalers supplying the on-trade. And of course the absurdly overpriced secondary markets.

There isn't an announcement at Suntory's official Yamazaki page yet, and there may never be. In the meantime, let's have a closer look at the bottles, based on the (probably leaked) materials provided by Suntory to wholesalers. All of these are NAS, by the way.

SINGLE MALT WHISKY YAMAZAKI PUNCHEON 2020 EDITION

This one comes from short and stout 480L American oak puncheons that are coopered by Suntory themselves. Because of the low contact ratio of puncheons, maturity is slower, so Suntory says we can expect flavor closer to the original spirit.

Colour: Bright yellow gold

Nose: Green apples, vanilla, acacia honey

Palate: Soft and mellow, butterscotch

Finish: Slight bitterness of oak and slight sweetness

700ml, 48% ABV, $110

SINGLE MALT WHISKY YAMAZAKI BORDEAUX WINE CASK 2020 EDITION

Wine casks add a smooth sweet and sour accent to Yamazaki. Suntory brings in French oak ex-wine casks and "rigorously" inspects them prior to using them for aging Yamazaki. If you like that particular aspect of Yamazaki, try this bottle -- it's a blend of whiskies aged solely in those wine casks.

Colour: Amber with a tint of red

Nose: Berry fruit sweetness and spicy

Palate: Complex, rich, and thick

Finish: Sweet and sour, spiciness of French oak

700ml, 48% ABV, $110.

SINGLE MALT WHISKY YAMAZAKI SPANISH OAK 2020 EDITION

Compared to American oak, Spanish oak produces more tannins, leading to a more pronounced aromatic malt. Suntory sources their ex-Sherry casks--and they note that while ex-Sherry casks can be American or Spanish oak, Suntory chooses only the Spanish oak ones--are made from wood in the forests in the north of Spain. There's a rich, concentrated sweetness and sourness going on.

Colour: Red-hued dark amber

Nose: Raisin, dried tomato

Palate: Concentrated sweet and sourness

Finish: Lasting acidity and slight bitterness

700ml, 48% ABV, $110

SINGLE MALT WHISKY YAMAZAKI PEATED MALT 2020 EDITION

The standard Yamazaki definitely offerings aren't very peaty, but this bottle represents a chance to make it so. It's made from only American oak barrels and hogsheads that contained the heavily peated component that makes up a very small portion of regular Yamazaki.

Color: Bright yellow gold

Nose: Smoky, peach

Palate: Softness, pineapple, smoked

Finish: Continuing aromatic peat

700ml, 48% ABV, $110 

SINGLE MALT WHISKY YAMAZAKI MIZUNARA 2020 EDITION

Suntory pioneered the use of mizunara oak for maturing whisky out of necessity, as mid/post-WW2 Japan couldn't import wood from abroad. It's notoriously difficult to work with, but Suntory seems to have figured it out. Today mizunara oak is one of the hallmarks of Japanese whisky, and it's usually described as sandalwood and aloes-wood aromas.

Colour: Amber

Nose: Bright top notes, custard cream, cinnamon

Palate: Soft on the tongue, highly aromatic, dense sweetness

Finish: Memorable Japanese incense

700ml, 48% ABV, $300

NEW YAMAZAKI AND HIBIKI BACK ON SHELVES JANUARY 2021

The new year has already brought in some amazing news for Japanese whisky lovers. Forget Trump and his peccadilloes, Suntory will be launching two new expressions this May, under their most popular brands, the Yamazaki single malt and Hibiki blended range. And at affordable prices!

With the new Yamazaki, the new Limited Edition 2021 picks up where the range stopped four years ago. The last release in the extremely popular series was the Yamazaki Limited Edition 2020. The new release will bring with it a brand new design. The box and label give the new release a more vintage, mature look. The whisky does the same as, unlike the previous Yamazaki Limited Editions, the 2021 version will only feature new make from casks aged 12 years or more. The previous releases featured younger casks. Looking at maturation, fans will be happy to know that the liquid was aged in virgin Mizunara Japanese oak casks, thus expected to impart the banana, incense, and coconut notes Mizunara is most known for. Suntory prepares drinkers for aromas of oranges and nutmeg, followed by coconut, honey, and spice on the palate. The finish will bring vanilla and a hint of smoke. The new Yamazaki is bottled at 43% ABV.

The release is due on May 25th, for only 8000 yen (US$75.00) and is expected to launch in Japan initially, hopefully with a global release to follow later this year.

Next up, we have the new Hibiki Blossom Harmony. Immediately, we see the Hibiki’s famed, impeccable packaging, meant to capture the beauty and subtlety of Japanese blended whisky. Suntory states this is intended for gift-giving so it should be available across most stores, in limited numbers. For the first time in history, the Hibiki blend has been aged in Sakura, or cherry blossom casks. The trend of Sakura cask-finishing has been growing over the past few years and this is one of Suntory’s first releases featuring the new experimental wood type. We previously a Sakura wood single grain release under the Essence of Suntory range. The Hibiki notes prepare us for a bright, floral character. While several producers have released Sakura cask-finished whiskies, the new Hibiki will definitely capture the wood’s essence without overwhelming the palate. The new Hibiki is also bottled at 43% ABV.

Like the new Yamazaki, this release will launch on the 25th of May in Japan, at the same US$75.00 price point. Hopefully, a global release will follow soon after.

The announcement of these releases sets the whisky industry off to a strong start in 2021. The Yamazaki and Hibiki ranges are by far the most popular in Suntory’s Japanese whisky range and, without a doubt, the new releases will quickly sell out, as most limited releases have in the past. Luckily for fans, Suntory has chosen not to price the new releases too high. The auction and secondary trading markets will soon see these traded at much higher price points.

Courtesy George Koutsakis