Hakushu 12 Year Old in the older 750mL bottle made for the United States, offered here without its carton. The liquid is Suntory's forest single malt at 43% (86 proof), crisp and herbal with a light touch of peat.
About This Whisky
This is the US-market 750mL presentation from before Suntory's 2018 sales pause, when aged stock became too tight to supply the 12 freely. Inside, it is the same recipe as other markets: all-malt Hakushu aged at least twelve years, with a share of lightly peated spirit. The bottle comes without its original box, which does not affect the whisky.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Cut grass, pear and basil, with a faint wisp of smoke after a while in the glass.
- Palate: Light and bright, with melon, green apple, mint and a soft peat note.
- Finish: Clean and fresh, with lemon peel and gentle smoke.
Serving & Food
Keep the bottle upright and out of the light. Serve at room temperature in a Glencairn, or over one large cube for a slower, cooler drink. Try it with seared scallops, steamed garoupa with ginger and spring onion, or edamame.
How to Enjoy
Ideal for a relaxed pour at home where the box does not matter but the older bottling does.
Product Details
Producer: House of Suntory
Distillery: Hakushu
Country: Japan
Region: Yamanashi Prefecture
Age: 12 years old
Category: Japanese single malt whisky
ABV: 43%
Proof: 86
Packaging: No box
Volume: 750mL
Edition: US old release
About the Distillery
Much of Hakushu's character comes from how the spirit is made rather than from the setting alone. Mash is fermented in wooden washbacks, which hold natural lactic bacteria and add a fruity, slightly creamy note to the wash. The distillery keeps many yeast strains to choose from.
Distillation uses pot stills in a range of shapes and sizes. The wash stills are fired directly and the spirit stills are heated by steam, so the team can produce many different new-make styles, from light and grassy to heavier and smoky.