Just a few weeks back, we reported on how Suntory is bringing its Tsukuriwake Selection to 2024 with the first labels coming through being an 18 Year Old Hakushu Peated Malt and a 18 Year Old Yamazaki Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask.

Now we've got two more Yamazaki labels joining the works - a Yamazaki Golden Promise 2024 Edition and a Yamazaki Islay Peated 2024 Edition, both of which will be NAS and also be bottled at 48% ABV, which seems to be the benchmark for the 2024 Tsukuriwake Selection.

Unpacking Tsukuriwake

The name "Tsukuriwake" refers to the philosophy of diversity in the making, which Suntory takes to refer to the blending of its various component malts in a harmonious mastery for both its classic Hakushu and Yamazaki expressions - a critical source of pride for the Japanese whisky maker.

Tsukuriwake is actually one of Suntory's core pillars of their whiskymaking philosophy; alongside Mizu Seichi - Pure Water, Shiki - the Four Seasons, Jukusei Taru - Aging and Casks, and Hito No Chowa - Team Spirit and Legacy.

Some New Yamazaki's In The Works?

We last saw the Suntory Tsukuriwake Selection in 2022, which featured a four-set collection of Yamazaki component malts - Spanish Oak, Puncheon, Peated Malt and Mizunara. This followed the same selection which made its first debut in 2020, which instead featured a five-set collection of Yamazaki component malts that included an additional Bordeaux Wine Cask aged Yamazaki expression.

This puts the Golden Promise 2024 Edition and Islay Peated 2024 Edition as new additions to the Yamazaki Tsukuriwake Selection stable. What else will we see next?

And will we be seeing anything new with Hakushu? Stay tuned!

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team