Suntory Excellence

Suntory Excellence is a blended malt, not a single malt, a vatting of malt whisky from the Yamazaki distillery in Osaka and the forest distillery at Hakushu in Yamanashi, with no grain in the recipe. It marries Yamazaki's orchard fruit and rounded sweetness with Hakushu's fresh, green, herbal character, an expression of Suntory's two malt sites together rather than any one distillery alone, built to the balance the house prizes.

Matured in Ex-Bourbon oak, this release leans fragrant and honeyed, with an oily, mouth coating depth, notes of old wood and a sherried, lightly toasted edge that point to some older or sherry seasoned stock in the marriage. The sandalwood incense signature Suntory draws from Japanese oak sits quietly behind the fruit. At 43% it stays smooth and composed, a blended malt that shows the layered, settled character the company aims for across its malt range.