Yamazaki History
The Origin of Yamazaki®
YAMAZAKI®. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN IN 1923.
Born in 1984, Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki® was the next step for Japanese whisky.
Inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, Torii envisioned a Japanese approach by choosing a terrain and climate completely different to those of Scotland to create a unique kind of whisky. The Yamazaki® Distillery is thus the birthplace of Japanese whisky. Nestled proudly on the periphery of Kyoto, this region was formerly referred to as "Minaseno", where one of the purest waters of Japan originates.
Yamazaki® is also home to Sen no Rikyu, Master of "The Way of Tea." Yamazaki® Distillery is where the Katsura, Uji and Kizu rivers converge, providing a unique misty climate and one of Japan’s softest waters. The diversity of this region’s temperature and humidity creates ideal conditions for cask aging, known as the signature "Suntory Maturation".
YAMAZAKI®: THE ORIGINS OF THE NAME
"Yamazaki®” originates from the suburb of Yamazaki in Osaka, the hometown of Japanese whisky, and the first whisky distillery in Japan. Producing only pure Japanese single malt whisky, the Yamazaki® Distillery carries the pride, confidence and respect of the land in its name.
Keizo Saiji, the second Master Blender and the father of the “Yamazaki®” brand, created the calligraphic lettering. The bold brushwork represents Suntory’s passion for Japanese whisky, and joy at launching the first single malt whisky from Japan’s oldest malt whisky distillery.
In 1984, Japan was at the height of its economic growth period, and the criteria for abundance was moving from a national to an individual level. It was this time of great diversifying values that a single malt whisky with a strong character was preferred, and so “Yamazaki®” was born. It was a whole new step forward for Japanese whisky and for Keizo Saji, who sensed the mood of the era.
THE STORY OF USUKE THE MONSTER
When the Yamazaki® Distillery started its operations, a rumour started spreading that: “There was a monster in the building called Usuke that eats barley.” This was due to the fact that large quantities of barley were brought in every day, yet nothing but smoke from the kilns seemed to emerge from the building.
Not knowing that whisky takes years of ageing in casks before it’s ready, it was no wonder that the people of the village suspected something strange was happening inside the distillery. After all, whisky had never been made in Japan before.
WHY THE YAMAZAKI SUBURB OF KYOTO WAS SELECTED
Culturally, Yamazaki had long thrived as a transportation hub that linked Kyoto to Osaka. It was also the location of the “Battle of Yamazaki”, in which Hideyoshi Hashiba, one of Japan’s most famous fuedal lords, fought with General Mitsuhide Akechi for supremacy.
But what really drew Shinjiro Torii to Yamazaki was its climate. While imitating the manufacturing process of Scotch whisky, he was determined to build his distillery in the midst of Japan’s natural landscape, so that the whisky would pull from the characteristics of Japan and truly embody the heart and soul of the Japanese people. With that goal in mind, Yamazaki was the perfect choice as both a culturally and environmentally Japanese location.
Yamazaki is nestled in a rich natural environment with four distinct seasons. Here, the Katsura, Uji, and Kizu Rivers meet, creating a perpetual thick mist. This naturally moist environment results in a warm and humid climate that is perfect for whisky making and the gradual maturing that the whisky requires.
WATER THAT ENCHANTED SEN NO RIKYU
It is said that the water holds the key to the whisky’s quality, and the water used in brewing the barley sprouts is the most essential ingredient of all. What was most important to Shinjiro Torii was the water, and Yamazaki has long been known to have the best pure mineral waters in Japan.
Yamazaki’s astounding natural beauty and environment has been referred to by many poets, even since the ancient times. In fact, one of the Hundred Famous Springs, “Rikyu no mizu” (the waters of the Minase Palace), still flows till this day.
Even the famous tea master and inventor of the “wabi-cha” tea ceremony, Sen no Rikyu, was enchanted by Yamazaki’s pristine waters. So much so that he even built a tea ceremony room - the “Tai-an” - for Hideyoshi Toyotomi and used the waters of Yamazaki® to prepare the tea.
In 1943, Shinjiro, too, was enthralled by Yamazaki’s waters and founded the Yamazaki Distillery there. The relatively high hardness of the water made it perfect for holding complex flavours and producing a full-bodied malt whisky. The Yamazaki® brewers gather data on the water every day to ensure that it has remained unchanged since its founding. Even now, the Yamazaki Distillery still uses the subsoil water of Yamazaki’s bamboo forests as the mother water for brewing.
Yamazaki Production
Yamazaki is distinguished by its uniqueness that a single distillery can produce a variety of whiskies, which a very few distillery in the world can match. It all started with Suntory’s pursuit of crafting world-class whisky to please the delicate Japanese palate.
