Yamazaki Suntory Special Reserve Whisky

Suntory Special Reserve is presented here as a blended malt, a vatting of malt whisky from the Yamazaki distillery in Osaka and the forest distillery at Hakushu in Yamanashi, without grain in the recipe. It marries Yamazaki's orchard fruit and rounded sweetness with Hakushu's fresh, green, herbal cut, an expression of Suntory's two malt sites together rather than the voice of either alone, built to the balance the house prizes.

Matured in Ex-Bourbon oak, it shows a citric brightness and a thread of gentle smoke, the kind of light, restrained peat that Hakushu can lend, set over honeyed orchard fruit, vanilla and a soft sandalwood incense note from Japanese oak. The two malts give both freshness and depth, held in poise. At 43% it stays smooth and composed, a blended malt that reflects Suntory's preference for harmony and quiet complexity over weight.