The fifth in the THE ESSENCE of SUNTORY series Vol. 5 The fifth in the series
THE ESSENCE of SUNTORY series was created based on Suntory’s desire to pursue the “Essence” in whisky making.
| Part 1 | Released on February 27, 2018 | Single Malt Whisky Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <peated malt Single grain whisky Hakushu Distillery <Rye type Single grain whisky Chita distillery〈Ripe after 4 years in wine barrels |
| Second release | February 26, 2019 release | Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <Spanish Oak Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <Montillery Wine Cask Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <Refill Sherry Cask |
| Third release | Release on October 29, 2019 | Blended Japanese whisky <Clean Type Blended Japanese whisky (Rich Type) |
| Part 4 | To be released on April 28, 2020 | Essence of Suntory whisky(Rice whisky) Single grain whisky Chita Distillery <Cherry Blossom Barrel Mature Blend |
| Part 5 | To be released on August 31, 2021 | Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <Golden Promise Single malt whisky Yamazaki Distillery <Ira-peated |
This time, it was developed under the theme of “barley”.
The label design is also based on the image of “barley” with ink art.
The single malt whisky is made from the rare “Golden Promise” malt, and the single malt whisky is made from dried, peat-fired malt from the island of Islay. These are two challenges that expand the new possibilities of whisky making by taking advantage of Suntory’s pride in creating a variety of different types of raw materials.
This “Islay Peated” is made from peat mined on the island of Islay, so I wonder if it was realized from the flow of Suntory’s ownership of the Bowmore distillery. (under Suntory in 1994) and the Laphroig distillery (under Suntory in 2014)
1. Manufacturer
Suntory Spirits Co.
| Establishment | Established in 1899 |
| Head office location | 2-3-3 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo 135-8631, Japan |
| Owned distillery | Japan Yamazaki Distillery, Hakushu Distillery, Chita Distillery Scotland Ardmore distillery, Glengilly distillery, Auchentoshan distillery, Bowmore distillery, Laphroig distillery Ireland Cooley distillery, Kilbeggan distillery United States Jim Beam distillery, Maker’s Mark distillery Canada Hiram Walker Distillery, Alberta Distillery |
2. Distilleries
Suntory Yamazaki Distillery
| Location | 2-1, Yamazaki 5-chome, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka 618-0001, Japan |
| Start of operation | 1923 |
The Yamazaki Distillery was established in 1923 as the first malt whisky distillery in Japan. This was at a time when whisky was still a rare drink for the general public. ” I want to make a Japanese whisky that suits the delicate taste of the Japanese people. With this passion in his heart, Shinjiro Torii set out to make whisky.
Shinjiro was particular about the Japanese climate. Water and the environment were especially important to him. Yamazaki is the home of the famous water called Minase no, which was written about in the Manyo poem.
The tea master Sen no Rikyu loved this place and the water was perfect for making whisky. The natural environment was also perfect.
Yamazaki is located in the southwest of Kyoto, at the foot of Tennozan (Mt. Tenno), where bamboo groves grow thickly, and is rich in nature where you can feel the seasonal changes. Located at the confluence of the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu Rivers, and surrounded by mountains, Yamazaki is prone to thick fog and has a warm and humid climate, which is ideal for maturing whisky.
“Nobujiro decided that Yamazaki was the only place where he could make good whisky with this water and climate.
Reference: YAMAZAKI MOMENTS
SUNTORY Yamazaki Distillery
1923 Yamazaki distillery was built. The first whisky distillery in Japan.
1929 Released the first domestically produced whisky, Shirofuda.
1937 Released “Kakubin”.
1984 Released single malt whisky “Yamazaki”.
1992 – Single malt whisky ” Yamazaki 18 years ” was launched.
1998 Single malt whisky “Yamazaki 25 years” was launched.
2005 May 11 – Launch of single malt whisky “Yamazaki 50 years” – limited to 50 bottles, 1 million yen
2007 September 11 Re-released single malt whisky “Yamazaki 50 years” Limited to 50 bottles, 1 million yen
2011/12/13 Re-release of single malt whisky “Yamazaki 50 years” Limited to 150 bottles: 1 million yen
June 30, 2020: Re-release of single malt whisky “Yamazaki 55 years”, limited to 100 bottles, 3 million yen
Image credit: Yamazaki Distillery｜Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki｜Suntory
For more information on the Yamazaki Distillery, please see this article. https://en.jpwhisky.net/manufacturer/yamazaki_en/
3. Product name and photo
Essence of Suntory Whisky Islaypeated
4. Characteristics
Image courtesy of THE ESSENCE of SUNTORY WHISKY | Suntory
Single malt whisky aged for 11 years in American oak barrels.
This single malt whisky is a blend of only raw materials made from peat-fired and dried malt mined on the island of Islay.
One of the characteristics of the peat from Islay is that it is influenced by the sea due to its location near the coast.
The powerful peatiness of Islay peat, the scent of the sea, and the smooth mouthfeel of this whisky are sure to please.
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Strong peaty, tidal aroma |
| Taste | Smooth mouthfeel with a lingering sweetness |
| Aftertaste | A long, aromatic, peaty finish. |
(Source: Suntory Holdings Limited)
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol Content | 54% alcohol by volume |
| alcohol category | Malt (optic peat malt) |
| Barrel type | American oak barrels |
| Contents | 500ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Limited quantity |
| Suggested retail price | 8,800 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | August 31, 2021 (Tuesday) |
Awards
No awards have been received at this time.
Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| Product name | Essence of Suntory whisky <Ira Peated |
| Volume | 500ml |
| Suggested retail price | 8,800 yen (tax included) |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
The resale price on Mercari is around 73,000 yen to 78,000 yen for a set of two bottles of Essence of Suntory whisky <Ira Peated> and Essence of Suntory whisky <Golden Promise>. (*As of September 1, 2021) 
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
The lowestbid price on Yahoo Auction for a set of two bottles of Essence of Suntory whisky (Islay Peated) and Essence of Suntory whisky (Golden Promise) is 78,000 yen, the highest is 101,000 yen, and the average is 84,501 yen. (*Statistics for the past 120 days from 9/1/2021) 
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, Amazon, and other mail-order sites also sell at around 60,000 yen. (*As of September 2, 2021)
6-5. Price offered at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR SHINKAI”, which is operated by our website, we offer a small amount of eachdrink,45ml: 3,960 yen, 30ml: 2,640 yen, 15ml: 1,320 yen
, etc.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/about-2/barshinkai-4/
7. Summary
This whisky was created by Suntory’s diverse selection of raw materials. It is made from peat from the island of Islay, so as expected, the peatiness with a touch of sea saltiness is very assertive in both aroma and taste. If you like Islay single malts, you should definitely try this one.
If you don’t like peat, I recommend the “Golden Promise” because you can feel the richness and flavor of the malt.
Both of these whiskies are limited and hard to find, so if you see them in a bar, you should definitely try them.
Please check out the other articles about Essence of Suntory.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2020/06/13/essenceofsuntory_chitasakuracask-2/
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2020/06/11/essenceofsuntory_ricewhisy-2/
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a worldwide trend, or if you want to learn more about it, we highly recommend these books.
(1). Japanese whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled ” Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business.
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(2). Whisky Galore Vol.25 April 2021
The April 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute.
This issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, features the definition of Japanese whisky and a list of 24 distilleries as the latest in Japanese whisky. It also includes an interview with Suntory Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo, making it a must-have for Japanese whisky fans.
(3). Whisky Rising.
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
