Blink-and-You’ll-Miss-It Opportunity on a Highly Allocated Whisky
We recently received an unbelievable allocation of the immensely popular Hakushu 12 Year Old. The handful of bottles we usually get sell out immediately, with a one-bottle limit per customer. Rarely do we get enough to satisfy a fraction of the demand, much less put out an offer. An excellent foil to Suntory’s Yamazaki 12, the Hakushu offers a similar lightly peated profile but with a distinctly more elegant and graceful approach. Produced at a high-elevation distillery near the Ojira River, this 12 Year Old exudes pure freshness and vitality. Bright citrus tones are accented by notes of honey, jasmine, and subtle peat smoke. A classic Japanese dram, this is a bottling to return to again and again. Demand for Japanese whisky remains at an all-time high, especially for anything with an age statement like this. Load up now, as we probably won’t see anything like this again anytime soon.
Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Peated Single Malt Whisky (limit 12) (750ml) ($109.99)
K&L Notes: Suntory’s Hakushu, known as the “Forest Distillery,” was built in 1973 as a sister distillery to Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery (previously the only Japanese single malt available in the U.S.). The facility is located at a high-elevation site next to the “pristine waters” of the Ojira River, which are used to dilute the whisky itself. Hakushu distillery uses different styles of oak barrel to age their single malt, but mainly Hogshead, which is “suitable to the clear air and cool humid climate,” according to the distillery. The 12-year-old from Hakushu is lightly peated and very delicate in its flavor profile. The light and fruity style of the whisky is quite similar to the Yamazaki 12, but the smoke really makes up for any lack of richness. We’ve seen insane price increases over the last five years on Japanese whisky and inventory getting tighter and tighter, but for a limited time we have Hakushu 12 in stock and available to sell, and at a fraction of the price you’ll see at many other retailers across the country.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 27, 2019
Hakushu has always been my favorite of the Suntory malts. The sweet and elegant malt profile is rounded out beautifully by the gentle peat smoke giving the whisky more body and texture than its brothers. The “forest distillery” also produces a verdant whisky – it feels green and fresh, cool and earthy. Moist peat and cool mint gently hold up the bouquet of flowers and cereal notes. The palate is extremely balanced with pepper and cinnamon playing off of the sweeter grain notes. The smoke is more rich body than intense fire. A long and earthy finish is sweetened by maple syrup and caramel notes that leave a very pleasant aftertaste. With Japanese whisky being so hard to get these days, you have to get while the gettin’ is good.
Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 27, 2019
This expertly crafted single malt has extraordinary balance for a peaty style and a refreshing, salty lightness that makes me come back for more. I love that this has the smoke and complexity of peat but doesn’t get bogged down with oily heaviness. To the contrary, this is a refreshing whisky that is fantastic to enjoy after a big meal!
