Beam Suntory, an independent subsidiary of Suntory Holdings, based in Deerfield, Illinois, USA, released “ARDRAY” blended Scotch whisky on June 5.
Around the end of May, about 2,000 bottles were sold in advance, and since then it has been on sale to the general public in London, Shanghai, Los Angeles, and New York.
Japan is not yet on the market, but the company has announced that it will be released sequentially to the rest of the world from now on.
Click here to visit the official website.
1. Brand Concept
The concept of the brand is “a new blended Scotch that combines the terroir and traditional craftsmanship of Scotland with the precision and artistry of a Japanese blender.”
This is how it is presented in a comment on the official overseas website.
Here is the original translation
One hundred years ago, Shinjiro Torii drew inspiration from traditional Scottish whisky to create a refined yet complex whisky that suited the delicate palate of the Japanese.
Shinjiro Torii’s remarkable blending abilities have been honored with the development of the new, elegant “ARDRAY”, designed to celebrate the excellence of blended Scotch whisky, from a reinterpretation of Scotch to suit the Japanese palate.
Suntory has released blended whiskies such as “AO” and “Toki” in the past, so what original whiskies did you choose this time?
The blend of “AO” is a blend of the following whiskies: Ardmore and Glengilly for Scotch, Cooley for Irish, Jim Beam for American, Alberta for Canadian, and Yamazaki and Hakushu for Japanese.
“Toki” is a Japanese blended, with Hakushu as the key malt, Yamazaki and Chita blended, and this was a reimported product that was first released overseas.
2. Component whisky
The blending team, led by Calum Fraser, chief blender at Beam Suntory, commented that they tried about 200 different combinations of grain and malt whiskies before completing “ARDRAY”.
Below is a selection of the original whiskies that were made available to the public.
Bowmore
Glengarioch
Laphroaig
Auchentoshan
Ardmore
Macallan
Glenrothes
Highland Park
These 8 wines were announced to be The announcement says that these 8 different types of spirits are being used in the new product.
What a luxurious lineup!
Bowmore, Macallan, and Laphroaig are included in the composition, a blend that can only come from Beam Suntory.
3. Tasting Notes
Apple, pear, plum, smoke, oregano, mandarin orange.
Mild, soft, floral & citrusy.
Rich and silky mouthfeel. Vanilla custard creaminess with a long finish.
The following is a brief description of the wine.
If this is one bottle that respects Shinjiro Torii, I am sure it will be distributed in Japan, and I will continue to follow the information.