Taste Testing The Fabled Suntory 1981 Kioke Shikomi サントリー ピュアモルトウイスキー 木桶仕込 1981年 直火蒸留

Today we're getting a blast from the past with a very prominent dusty from Suntory's history! This is of course the Suntory 1981 Kioke Shikomi.

Now for a start, we should probably figure out what the label is saying - unlike Japanese whiskies today, this time capsule from Suntory is completely written in Japanese (which also indicates that it was bottled for the domestic Japanese market). Firstly, from the top we see a logo that might not be all too familiar these days - it's in fact the old Suntory logo from the 90's / early 2000's that was designed in tandem with the company's 90th anniversary in 1989 by Takenobu Igarashi, which also saw the creation of the now iconic Hibiki Whisky and the unveiling of the then major development, the Suntory Music Hall - the logo is a combination of the former Suntory Lion Crest with the Japanese character for Hibiki. Next, the first two lines under the old Suntory logo reads "Suntory Pure Malt Whisky (Wooden Vat Matured)", which was at the time how Suntory would typically term their blends, and thereafter "木桶仕込" which is Kioke Shikomi, the name of the expression, taken to mean "Fermented in Wooden Vats". The vintage, 1981, follows, which is the year it was distilled, and the text in red, "直火蒸留", can then finally be translated as "Direct Fire Distillation".

The former Suntory logo designed for the company's 90th anniversary.

And so putting it all together, this is a vatting of blended whisky distilled in 1981 using wooden washbacks (made of Douglas Fir apparently) for fermentation and direct fire distillation, which was then aged in ex-Bourbon oak. It's been further identified as having been filtered through bamboo charcoal, which was rather innovative at the time. It's also worth noting that there is no grain whisky in the blend.

Yet, behind the text of the front label, many online sleuths have together pieced together and filled in a more colourful background as to what this expression is. The first thing to know about the Suntory 1981 Kioke Shikomi is that it actually comes in a set of sorts, with another expression known as the Furudaru Shiage 1991 古樽仕上 (itself anchored by Yamazaki malt whisky which was filtered through bamboo charcoal and featured an ex-Sherry cask finish) that was also released. It's been traced as having been released in 2005, which quite remarkably makes the Kioke Shikomi a whopping 24 years old!

Suntory's Hakushu Distillery is often known as the Mountain Forest Distillery for its remote location at the foothills of Mount Kaikoma, surrounded by lush greenery.

Now, for some context as to the era in which it was made, this limited edition expression was produced during the height of Japan's economic crash in the 1980's and as it follows, the domestic whisky market too was deep in a slump, and so it's been largely determined that these more "experimental" and unusual releases were designed to try and excite whisky fans in a bid for Suntory's survival. As it turns out, the Kioke Shikomi (and unlike the Furudaru Shiage) was stated as having been bottled at Yamanashi, which is where the Hakushu Distillery was at, implying that it is in fact Hakushu malt whisky that anchors the blend here. It's been also claimed that the 1981 Kioke Shikomi was bottled in commemoration of the opening of the eastern section of the Hakushu Distillery which took place the same year, and as such adds to the likelihood that this is composed mainly of Hakushu whisky. 

That said, insofar as nothing's ever been confirmed or denied, we should for the sake of posterity also point out a counter theory that says that instead of being a possible 24 year old Suntory blended malt whisky, it has been theorised that this could be the equivalent of a 10 of 12 year old whisky which was released between 1991 and 1999, with the latter being the final year in which this style of blend was discontinued by Suntory!

The fabled pair of Suntory dusties.

Regardless of the case, this dusty has become one of the hallmarks of Suntory's vintage releases, and has been a fan favourite artefact for Japanese whisky lovers yearning to fully experience and learn about the history of the category, with many attempting to reunite both the 1981 Kioke Shikomi and 1991 Furudaru Shiage together in their collection (before moving on to the Suntory Hokuto, which is a story for another time)!

With that all covered, let's find out what the fabled Suntory 1981 Kioke Shikomi actually tastes like, what it can clue us in on 1980's Suntory, and find out if it's worth the hype! Let's go!

Whisky Review: Suntory 1981 Kioke Shikomi, 43% ABV

サントリー ピュアモルトウイスキー 木桶仕込 1981年 直火蒸留  

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Amber

Aroma: Opens with an immediate fragrance of red apples, which peels away to give a broader, candied body of honey, caramel, brown sugar and vanilla cream, now encased in a crystalline shell of candied red apples. A more delicate layer of leather, dried plums and prunes begins to show up, along with a subtle but vibrant hit of tropical fruits of mangoes and guavas, accompanied then by a more grainy side of cereal grains. With time, a suppleness of smoked cream drizzled with honey starts to emerge, tinged with orange and red apples, dusted with also some sharper nutmeg spice. There’s a slight metallic edge that resides around the outlines too, alongside a sheen of polished oak. An evolving nose that continues shapeshift as it airs!

Taste: Medium-bodied, it’s lush and rich, with a candied body of honey and caramel, almost a touch waxy of beeswax, alongside nougats and marzipan dripped in thick honey. More on vanilla cream and burnt brown sugar a la creme brûlée, with also chocolate coated honeycombs and delicate fruity tones of red apples. There’s a slight rusticity of hay, with also a touch of sea salt milk chocolates. Light metallic flecks, with also this sense of minerality of spring water. Really delicate smoke and ashiness that’s present yet almost hidden in plain sight, coaxed into the rich, confectionary body.

Finish: The thick honey continues to drip through the finish, carrying with it those chocolate coated honeycomb, which is only closely followed by more Sherried tones of worn leather, plums and prunes. Touch of chocolate bitterness and rancio of dried sour plums. The finish is decadent and candied, yet also possessing a touch of dryness of oak grains, interwoven with the milk chocolates, nutty nougat and dried prunes.

My Thoughts

A really intriguing but somewhat impressive whisky that never would we have guessed was from Hakushu (or even a blend of Hakushu with a splash of Yamazaki for that matter)! It's certainly rather malty with a Sherried quality to it, with then lots of red apples at the top, more confectionary milk chocolates, honey, cream and baking spices wedged in between, with then darker black fruits backing it up - it almost feels like a Highland Scotch, in fact. There are some peculiarities and off notes that does stray from the core, with wafts of smoke, and little metallic flecks here and there, although nothing that really tears away greatly from the whisky, just little curiosities that honestly are almost charming in their somewhat lack of polish and refinement. It's like you could see where they were going with this but at the same time that little lack of cohesiveness makes it feel like a work in progress, which when contextualised to the Japanese whisky story feels almost like being a time traveller watching its development. On the other hand, there are some rather sterling merits that funnily we don't quite see so much of today - that sea salt topped milk chocolates, the honeycomb, with even that little flash of vibrant tropical fruits!

Altogether, definitely worth a try - the aromas shapeshift with time and show a nice evolution as it airs, on the palate it's alittle more straightforward but still with a fair bit of chomp and the the finish captures that old school quality that's pretty nostalgic!