Hakushu 12 Year Old in the earlier 750mL US bottle, complete with its original box. It is Suntory's fresh, gently smoky single malt from the Yamanashi forest, bottled at 43% before the 2018 supply pause.
About This Whisky
This bottling comes from before Suntory stopped selling Hakushu 12 in Japan in June 2018 and began limiting it in export markets. It was made for the United States, so it is 750mL rather than 700mL, and still has its box. The whisky is a vatting of Hakushu malts at least twelve years old, some lightly peated, at 43%.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Pine needle, green apple and fresh herbs over a light smoky base.
- Palate: Juicy pear and kiwi with mint, soft honey and a faint peat edge.
- Finish: Medium length, clean and cool, with green tea and a drift of smoke.
Serving & Food
Open it with friends at around 18°C in small stemmed glasses. A 1:2 mizuwari with chilled still water and ice suits it well at the table. Serve with seared tuna tataki, vegetable gyoza or a light lemon tart.
How to Enjoy
A boxed example of the pre-2018 US Hakushu 12, and a good gift for a Japanese whisky drinker.
Product Details
Producer: House of Suntory
Distillery: Hakushu
Category: Japanese single malt whisky
Age: 12 years old
Country: Japan
Region: Yamanashi Prefecture
ABV: 43%
Proof: 86
Volume: 750mL
Edition: US old release, with original box
About the Distillery
Hakushu was built on a much larger scale than most people expect. The first plant opened in February 1973 with six wash stills and six spirit stills. A second unit in 1977 doubled that, and for a time Hakushu was described as the largest malt distillery in the world. A third plant followed in 1981.
When Japanese whisky demand fell away in the 1980s and 1990s, the older West site was shut down, and production moved to the newer plant, renamed Hakushu East in 1988. It had twelve stills until 2014, when Suntory added two more pairs to meet renewed demand. The West stills still stand but are not in use.