Suntory's Tsukuriwake Selection had originally started off on the premise of showcasing a deconstruction of the beloved Suntory whiskies, starting off first with its flagship Yamazaki whisky, and then later joined by its Hakushu whisky. The idea was to demonstrate the artistry in blending that Suntory - and really something that the world of whiskymakers altogether - reveres as the ultimate mastery when it comes to whiskymaking.

And whilst the Scotch world has moved on to its Single Malt era, and has largely therefore put behind its blended whisky heritage (which were the most prized throughout the 19th and 20th century!) and by extension any talk of blending whatsoever, Japanese whiskymakers have gone quite opposite! With the role of Master Blender being the highest honour in a Japanese whisky distillery, its consistently emphasises the importance of blending in creating great whiskies - even as a single malt! 

Suntory's fifth-generation Master Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

Now this philosophical underpinning is important for appreciating Japanese whiskies as a category that stands on its own! It is after all the very basis of Tsukuriwake which refers to philosophy of diversity in the making - this therefore extends out to include the base ingredients selected, casks used, and the process by which the whisky is made.

Unpacking that, we see that even though both premier whiskymaking regions promote their single malts, the philosophical differences finds the Scotch world seeing the single malt as the start point for all other enhancements, whereas Japanese whiskymakers view the single malt as the destination, with everything to be done amounting in a final expression that is itself complete. To put simply, cask finishes for example come after the single malt for Scotch, and before the single malt for Japanese whiskies. For the likes of Suntory, the single malt is itself a masterpiece that is the result of artisanal blending and whiskymaking - not much else is needed in the way of flashy label text or unconventionalities. It's an understated art where to put it delicately, the proof is in the pudding, and this pudding needs no additional bells and whistles. A difference in philosophy that is definitely something to be appreciated.

A familiar sight for any who've visited the Yamazaki Distillery. At the end of the tour, visitors walk through displays of hundreds of Yamazaki malt variations demonstrating the distillery's experimental capabilities - it's something no one forgets.

This all ties back to the Tsukuriwake, where the original collection (debuting in 2020) had focused on the components that go into the classic Yamazaki - a Bordeaux Wine Cask, a Puncheon, Peated Malt, Spanish Oak Cask, and a Mizunara Oak expression. Each was a single malt from the distillery that was made with a particular difference to create specific flavours that could be used as tools to creating the final Yamazaki Single Malt. It's therefore no surprise that the makers at Suntory have long been fans of classical music - the highly popular Hibiki blend was after all inspired by Brahm's Symphony No. 1 - and so it works to think of the Yamazaki expression as the symphony, with each expression showcased in the Tsukuriwake Selection an instrument, all of which coming together cohesively as one.

With three Tsukuriwake's Selections in the bag (2020 & 2022 featured Yamazaki components, whilst 2021 featured Hakushu components), chalk it up to Suntory to switch things up. This time Suntory seems to have just ever so subtly shifted its focus to that of innovation. The Peated Malt is now an Islay Peated Malt, and we're also seeing the use of Golden Promise barley which was lauded as the basis of the legendary Scotch whiskies of the 60's, and then there's also the variance in age - two 18 Year Old's, each too sporting a distinctive style, one a Mizunara aged Yamazaki, and the other a Peated Malt Hakushu.

Subtle but big changes.

For me, where the 2024 Selection departs from what Suntory has done prior is that the emphasis is no longer on components - it's now expanded the universe onto how each component can vary and what comes of that. It feels like 4D chess that Suntory is playing this time round. It seems like that 2023 break it took from releasing what would've been an annual Tsukuriwake collection was really more of a pit stop.

And so when I was asked if I'd be interested in giving the 2024 Tsukuriwake Selection a taste - I obviously had to see if the hype was real. Now I should mention that beyond just being about whisky, Suntory has always demonstrated a streak of seeing the whisky tasting experience as wholly experiential - if they could make sure you were in an ideal room, with the precise soundtrack playing, whilst the ambient temperature was rightly adjusted, trust me they would. So what Suntory has done this year is to pair the Tsukuriwake Selection with food! 

Probably the highlight of my year is pretty much how I'd sum it - and we're only halfway through.

Partnering with a handful of (I'm told are heavily vetted) select Omakase restaurants in Singapore, the 2024 Tsukuriwake Selection was decidedly paired with specific dishes that were to co-create particular flavour experiences. For my session, this would be the restaurant Takayama located in OUE Downtown Gallery - I've detailed quite extensively my experience here.

And so with all that said, we're going to go ahead and taste test the four expressions of the Suntory 2024 Tsukuriwake Selection!

Let's go!

Yamazaki Golden Promise, Tsukuriwake 2024 Collection, 48% ABV - Review

First up, we've got the Golden Promise - the Golden Promise is a legendary barley varietal that was used in Scotland into the 1960's, the stuff that's produced some of the world's most iconic whiskies that transcends eras, but are all traced to that time period. The heritage malt is said to offer not only more body to the whisky, but also a sweeter and more nutty flavour.

The highly revered barley was nevertheless phased out for more economical and efficient barley that folks have often lamented a drop off in character - till this day, farmers have to be paid a premium to grow Golden Promise barley because it is simply a lesser yielding crop even if it is more flavourful. 

Here, Yamazaki uses the Golden Promise barley for distillation, and after which it is then aged in American Oak casks to allow the heritage barley's character to come through. I'm told that the blenders at Yamazaki have noted that Golden Promise barley holds the Mizunara character incredibly well.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light Gold

Aroma: Opens up with really rich and sweet notes of honeycomb decked with honey. There’s this really rustic yet creamy maltiness of oatmeal, oatmeal cream, and cereal that comes through as well, backed by that honeyed richness. Incredibly rounded, this is joined by some fresh sandalwood that adds a spice to it. More on golden syrup as well. It’s rich and at the same time rustic, has good intensity, really aromatic and lush. 

Taste: The richness, lush honey and creamy, rustic maltiness translates to the palate, along with a light waxiness and oiliness. It’s medium-bodied but entirely creamy. Light sandalwood, some incense, it’s a mellow bed of richness, which then holds this more distinct and precise note of pineapples and green apples that jumps out from it. This evolves into a brighter note of apricots and peaches, still very waxy, which all pushes forth from the base of honey and maltose candy. At the core there’s that rustic cereal note of oatmeal.

Finish: The cereal notes become more prominent here, joined by some sandalwood and a light hit of spicy black pepper. Still lots of honeycomb and maltose candy. A second after it disappears is an aftertaste of green apples and pineapples with a crisp freshness.

My Thoughts

This was really impressive for me! The extended maltiness is immediately apparent with this next level creaminess that’s also embodying of a rustic quality to it, like a sort of oatmeal cream, which I found really enjoyable. It’s this rustic purity and rawness that just makes this feel so natural and artisanal. Almost like appreciating hand thrown clay as opposed to something generically produced.

Besides the enhanced richness and creaminess stemming from the maltiness, it also feels really detailed and well structured, with the flavours and textures being very precise. It balances both a mellow candied quality and at the same time a more distinctive intensity of the fruitiness. It’s a sort of push pull that it’s giving. The honeycomb and fruits are obvious winners here, but the complexity and that rustic beauty is really a whole other level.

Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, Tsukuriwake 2024 Collection, 48% ABV - Review

Next up, we've got Yamazaki made with Islay peated malt. The malt was first peated in Laphroaig over in Islay, Scotland, after which it was brought over and dried at Yamazaki Distillery. I'm told that the combination of softer Yamazaki water and the Islay peated malt creates a more delicate and elegant peat character that is distinctively different in and of itself. Let's see!

Tasting Notes

Colour: Straw

Aroma: Soft coastal smokiness, the kombu seaweed comes through quickly along with the gently sweet smoke. It’s giving standing by the coast vibes. More on green apples and runny honey. The bouquet here is a soft plume, well-rounded, aromatic, softly sweet but with an obvious coastal quality and freshness. There’s a slight saltiness here of sea spray, but without any of those medicinal or herbaceous notes.

Taste: Really rich on the palate, it’s sweeter here with honey, golden syrup, maltose. Medium-bodied, really distinct and almost crystalline. The flavours are well-bounded and cohesive, with some light ash along with tanghulu peaches, tinned peaches, apricots in syrup. It’s mellow here, candied, not the usual sharpness of Islay ash.

Finish: It turns lightly medicinal and herbaceousness here, along with more of that kombu seaweed. Soft in texture, sweet, still very much crystalline in the way of maltose candy and rock sugar.

My Thoughts

First off - I’m not a peat person. But what I did find here is something that was pretty well rounded and balanced. This didn’t carry any of that acrid or sharp ashiness that can come through with peated Islay whiskies, nor did it have any of the heavy medicinal bitterness either. What was preserved here was the coastal bit of it, for which it had a nice freshness, sort of like standing by the coastline by the seaside.

In that sense, I found this to be a more elegant and softer style of peat - that if anything, was actually alittle sweet. And then when you get to tasting it, all the candied fruits begin to come through into the finish. This is great for those who aren’t quite into traditional Islay peated whiskies. Here you’ll find more richness and brightness with a good bit of fruit and syrup. It’s vibrant, brighter and more approachable.

And for a more balanced opinion, I had asked the folks around me who did have a heavy preference for peated Islay whiskies - and they loved this as well. So it really goes both ways.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara, Tsukuriwake 2024 Collection, 48% ABV - Review

And now we get to the final Yamazaki of the night - the 18 Year Old Mizunara. Mizunara, or "Water Oak", is a local Japanese variety of oak that's grown in Hokkaido. It's incredibly porous - hence the name - and therefore really hard to work with as barrels tend to risk breaking. But that risk is well worth it because it is said to impart a very distinctive kara flavour of sandalwood, coconut and tropical fruits. It also requires extended ageing for the flavours to mellow out otherwise it runs the possibility of being too sharp.

Mizunara oak also needs to be hundreds of years old before it is thick enough to be made into barrels - it's a rather wavy and bendy tree - and therefore is protected by the Japanese government, with only select distilleries that can use it - or otherwise purchase second hand Mizunara casks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Amber

Aroma: A good serving of honey, coupled with soft scents of a light coconut cream, it’s rather vanillic, also joined by some candied pineapple, and then obviously more maltose candy. There’s also this bright and light note of freshly sawn wood, some sandalwood, also musty, like stepping into a temple on a cool morning, that all consuming aroma of antique wood. It’s also got these musky fruits, jackfruit comes to mind, some candied apricot as well. It gets sweeter over time, whilst holding that aromatic freshness as well as the well-integrated musky yellow fruits.

Taste: A good entry, more of that honeyed richness, quickly the sandalwood makes its way through, with even a slight ashiness. Desiccated coconuts fill the body, as does apricots, candied pineapples, and then firmed up more maltose candy. Together it gives this candied tropical quality that’s waxy, sweet, and fruity - almost like a more coconut-y spread of tanghulu. Medium-bodied here.

Finish: Even more waxy here. There’s also more fruit cordial, tinned fruit syrup, tinned apricots and lychees, some fresh longans. As it recedes, it’s turning alittle darker, dark raw honey. And then it makes a turn back into tinned fruit territory. Deep, deep warmth, and then some well-worn, polished leather at the end. 

My Thoughts

We’ve had the Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara several times before - this has become Yamazaki’s signature calling card for the past few years, almost like a Westlife concert when the  acoustic guitar instrumentals drop and you already know they’re about to hit you with that Quit Playing Games With My Heart classic. That is all to say the bar’s pretty high for this one.

And I’m happy to say this did not disappoint! The Mizunara notes are prominent yet well-integrated into the richer, more candied body of the Yamazaki malt, the combination of which is a tropical fruit basket of coconuts, candied pineapples and tinned lychees, backed by some aromatic and incense-ish sandalwood. The fruits here don’t veer into total confectionary, and so it doesn’t come off overly sweet or cloying, but instead is well massaged into the overall richness of the whisky where it is apparent yet cohesive - it’s there, but it’s not the only thing that it is. 

I really enjoyed the tropical quality here and the richness, it’s well balanced, and gives a long tasting experience from start to finish, with a good amount of complexity that still surprised me even though I’ve had past editions. It’s got presence and weight, whilst at the same time remaining evocative and fresh. 

Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, Tsukuriwake 2024 Collection, 48% ABV - Review

And we have the only Hakushu of the Selection - now, I've always maintained that Hakushu is incredibly underrated and believe me, the distillery has quite its own cult following - this one makes use of Peated Malt and therefore makes for a good contrast with the earlier Yamazaki Islay Peat expression.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Gold

Aroma: Opens to scoops of honey here, layered by a softer but richer note of eucalyptus and mint. There’s a mustiness here that’s giving pine forests - brighter, with a crisp forestry greenness. There’s a gentle note of lacquered wood, contrasted against some brighter vanillic wood. With time, some light Sherried notes emerge - stewed plums and also some leather. Brighter yet with a deep richness. 

Taste: Honeyed with a big menthol moment. Eucalyptus, some cough syrup, buoyed by lots of maltose candy and honey. It’s got lots of richness, at times almost coming through syrupy. There’s a good intensity about it. At the base are some soft notes of cooked plums and figs. A light hit of white ash, almost bittersweet, before giving way to that candied maltose.

Finish: More menthol and minty freshness here, along with a really deep warmth. More cigar ash but again without the acridness or grittiness. Some leather and tobacco rounds it out. Such a deep and long menthol warmth.

My Thoughts

This felt like a really complete expression - it’s complex and layered. I thought it best to give it some time to open up, and surely there was a multi faceted whisky that emerged. On the nose, it’s got a real forested quality - green yet crisp, with a mustiness of lacquered wood, almost like entering an antique store. On the palate and into the finish, it’s at once candied made refreshing once again with that mentholated quality. All throughout it runs on a mellow yet rich Sherried base of cooked stone fruits. 

The perennial thread here is how refreshing it is with that minty quality, and at the same time maintaining a brightness about it, far from any sense of darker or too heavy qualities. What also stood out is the way the ashiness was expressed - aromatic, equal parts bitter and sweet, and woven into the maltose candied body. I really appreciated this one! Such a complex and sophisticated expression that gives so much to be appreciated.

The Bottom Line

Each expression in the Tsukuriwake Selection brought with it something wholly distinct and completely unique -

The Yamazaki Golden Promise showcased an incredible creamy maltiness and rustic purity;

The Yamazaki Islay Peated took the coastal Islay peat and gave it much more richness, roundedness and elegance without all the ashiness;

The Yamazaki Mizunara 18 Year Old was an utter tropical delight coated in maltose candy that was simultaneously a day trip to a temple and also a basket of assorted tanghulu delights;

Finally the Hakushu Peated Malt 18 Year Old was just a complete masterpiece of layers and complexity, taking its signature minty and foresty profile and giving it a darker base layer of richness, with the peat soft in smokiness.

My personal favourite was the Yamazaki Golden Promise, which showcased a malty creaminess that I've yet to find in anything else, with this oatmeal and cereal flavour that feels rustic and artisanal; at the same time delivering the classic Yamazaki richness, fruits and sandalwood. The Yamazaki Mizunara 18 Year Old and Hakushu Peated Malt 18 Year Old are not far behind, and was pretty much a split decision tie-up for me as my next in line favourites.