The art of Japanese Whisky revealed

The meticulous attention to detail and the blending of art with nature were revealed at an Omotenashi – ritual tasting – of Suntory Japanese whisky at the Saatchi Gallery on June 13.

Showcased were the Yamazaki 12 year old and Hakushu single malts and Hibiki 17 year old blended whisky during a tasting led by Mike Miyamoto, Suntory Global Brand Ambassador.

Suntory whiskies have earned over 60 awards in the last eight years alone. Recently Yamazaki 1984 year old single malt was named Best Malt Whisky in the World, while Hibiki 21 year old was named Best Blended Whisky in the World.

In 2010, Suntory was named Distiller of the Year, the first time such an honour was awarded to a Japanese distiller.

Suntory has been working to perfect the art of whisky making since the first whisky distillery in Japan was built by founder Shinjiro Torii in 1923. The whiskies were originally created to match the delicate Japanese palate and to complement the cuisines of Japan.

Often Japanese whiskies are drunk at mealtime straight, on the rocks, as a Highball or blended with water as a mizuwari.

While Yamazaki, Hakushu or Hibiki and a delightful partner to sushi or nigiri, it was shown that the whiskies marry well with British and Western style cooking, also. They were matched with fish and chips, burgers and shepherd’s pie.

Another side to the versatility of Suntory whiskies was revealed in a menu of cocktails celebrating the 24 Japanese Seasons. Mixologist Zoran Peric has created a unique collection of Suntory cocktails.

“A Japanese cocktail is about philosophy, nuance and refinement in which the final product inspires the imagination and triggers the palate”, he explained.

The art of the east and the art of the west meet literally at the Saatchi Gallery where Suntory is a corporate sponsor. Suntory has a long history of association with the arts, said Makiko Ono, President of Suntory London. “Our founder, Shinjiro Torii firmly believed a third of Suntory’s profit from all our business operations should be returned to society to enhance the Arts and Culture”.

Ms Ono added: “ I cannot emphasise enough how important the UK market is for Suntory. The Japanese have the highest respect for the United Kingdom and since 1971 London has been the hub of all Suntory operations in Europe”.