Suntory Whisky Royal SR

Suntory Whisky Royal SR is a release in the Suntory Royal line, the prestige blend Shinjiro Torii created in 1960. It is a blend rather than a single malt, drawing malt whisky from the Yamazaki distillery in Osaka and the forest distillery at Hakushu in Yamanashi together with light grain whisky from Chita in Aichi, an expression of the whole house at its most ceremonial rather than the voice of any single site.

Bottled at cask strength, it shows the Royal character in concentrated form, dried fruit and honey over ripe orchard fruit and vanilla, with the sandalwood and incense note Suntory draws from Japanese oak set deeper by the higher strength. Matured in Ex-Bourbon oak, the Yamazaki and Hakushu malts give depth and shape while the Chita grain lends a rounded base. At full power it rewards a drop of water, opening the rich, sherried sweetness that defines the house blend.