Hakushu Heavily Peated 2012 due at end of June
Suntory announced May 29 that it will release the 2012 version of its Hakushu heavily peated single malt across Japan on June 26. There will be 4,200 bottles and will cost about 9,000 yen for 700ml. This is a sequel to the successful 2012 sherry cask bottling earlier this year.
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I really appreciate this blog and have been doing some ordering of Japanese whiskeys because of it. So far:
- Yamazaki 12
- Yoichi 10
- Hakushu 12
- Miyagikyo 12
The Hakushu might be the best in my amateur opinion, but the Miyagikyo is more my style. The other two I won't buy again.
I have these ordered by mail, which sounded like great deals at under 2500y/500ml:
- Nikka from the barrel
- Nikka Pure Malt White
Thanks 'nonjatta' for the recommendations.
Which brings me to my point. The last two should be great value for money, but the first two at the top certainly were not, and the second two at the top really were not when in Japan I can by Scottish scotch as good for less.
Good thing Japan has a gift culture where price is more important than content. Some of these are the 'fifty-dollar watermelon' of the whisky world.
I'm not sure I entirely understand your question there -- I agree that some price inflation is uncalled for (and unfortunate this whisky-lover's tiny wallet), but I don't think making a general ruling about non-age statement bottlings is a good idea. If anything, providing high-quality non-age statement bottlings is a good way to get people off their high-horse of "the older, the better." (For the record, the Nikka Pure Malt White at 5000y/liter is a good value, but doesn't compare to a Hakushu Heavily Peated or Sherry cask in terms of complexity or originality. )
It's true that knowing the ages of whiskies used for any particular bottling would be interesting, though not necessarily as useful as most consumer's would like to think. I understand why the marketing team of Suntory might opt out of age-statement bottlings for special Hakushu and Yamazaki bottlings, given the number of consumers that still use the age of a whisky as a crutch for quality rating when tasting. While no one could argue that the age of whisky effects certain characteristics, it does little to suggest the level of quality one can expect. As my circle of whisky friends often say, "if it's bad when it's made, waiting 20 years won't make it good."
Oops -- I forgot to mention how much I enjoy this blog ! Many thanks for the Japanese whisky-world updates !
I agree with you about the watermelon syndrome affecting the high end, although it also a factor in all whiskies worldwide. Your argument on the age statement is also convincing, but the price here is quite high not to have clarity on the cost of the whisky going in (obviously, regardless of the quality, old whisky has to cost more).
Well for a starters Heavily Peated/Sherried Hakushu are extremely rare. 2 no age statement releases and 3 single casks from 1993 for the heavily peated and 2 single casks from 1989 and one no age statement for the sherry that I know of. That makes them far rarer than Karuizawa or Hanyu.
Remember that 4200 bottles is all of about 8 casks.
I should have added that as the prices of the single cask versions of the above Hakushu's are out of reach of most people, that being to buy such rarities at the reasonable prices attached to the NAS bottles is great news for the average punter.
I agree with Dramtastic. I feel that the price of whisky released by the bigger players is, in general, reasonable / fair / easy to understand (save for the odd ultra-premium release, but that's another story). Lately, I've been feeling that it's actually the so-called "smaller" companies whose prices have started to spiral out of control. Almost as if to say, "well, we don't have the economies of scale to fall back onto, so don't complain about the prices we charge" - as if the small size of the enterprise is a "carte blanche" to slap whatever price they want on a bottle. I am sure consumers won't put up with this forever. You only need to read various reviews of the the first Chichibu OBs (The First and The Floor Malted) to realize that many people who have bought these have set aside their concern about the price for the time being because of the novelty value, but that's bound to wear off. Will we see Chichibu's priced at 3,000 or 4,000 yen in the future (like the Glenglassaugh Revival - which offers a good comparison, I think)? Does anyone know of any distillery outside Japan who sells their 3YO (single malt) at 100 USD? (Seriously, this is not a rhetoric question - I am really wondering if there are examples!!)
I don't really see the Chichibu price as 'problematic'. It's a limited first release, not a general bottling and also there to offset inital costs in the first 10 years. If you look at Kilchoman's first releases they were priced in the same ballpark I believe.
it all depends on how you define "limited"... Off the top of my head, I think there were about 7,000 or 8,000 bottles of the Chichibus. I think there will never be a time when there will be a "general release" in the sense that you're thinking of, seeing as they can only fill around 400 casks a year. Anyway, I'm glad you don't see it as problematic. Most bloggers and many whisky enthusiasts that I know certainly don't see it that way, though.
Well if that pricing scheme continues with the coming bottlings this will be another story...
Abhainn Dearg 3yo 50cl inaugural bottle is priced at a whopping 150 £ in the UK. It's a limited release of 2011 bottles, but not sold out yet. I guess this is probably due to this very steep pricing. I've also read somewhere that the whisky is not particularly promising, but nevertheless as an inaugural limited release it stays a collectors item, I guess. Anyway, it does seem pretty exceptional however to have 3yo single malts priced as high as those in Japan. A 3yo Kilchoman goes for about 45 £. All in all I'm always amazed how expensive those Japanese malts are compared to the Scotch malts on offer in the very same Japanese liquor stores.
Btw, to nonjatta and all its contributors: Thanks for this wonderfull website!!
I would agree with the anonymous poster that at the moment I don't have a problem with Chichibu Pricing, both as a means to recoup some of the investment in this start up operation and the fact that the quality for myself at least has been good.
I also agree that if Akuto-san decides that prices will go up with each extra year of maturation than this will change . I certainly would not buy a 5YO Chichibu for 150 bucks when Akuto-sans Ichiro's malts that have spent 4 times as long in a cask waiting to reap a return on investment sell for this. My sympathies will not run that deep.
Also just some personal choices in regards to age statement v no age statement whiskies from a few distilleris.
Out of the standard Miyagikyo range, NAS, 10, 12 and 15 my preference would be the NAS. Feistier that the other 3 and good news for me as considerably cheaper as well.
The 2012 Sherry Cask NAS from Yamazaki is handily better than the 10 and 12 and just pips the 18YO.
I would also take the Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel NAS over the 10 and 12 and although a different style matches the 18 in quality for me.
The NAS Bourbon Barrel and previous Heavily Peated Hakushu's are about on par with the 12 and 18 and above the 10. The 2012 Sherry Cask NAS is a little more complex than all of them.
So, even though I will probably never know the proportions of young and aged malts in no age statement versions, it's seems to me that at least in the case of standard ranges they can sometimes equal or exceed their age statement brethren.
I am getting the distinct feeling that my ideas on age statements as regards these Suntory offerings are off the mark, but I would be a bit more confident of my ground on the other side of the issue: ie. defending the relatively high prices charged by some of the small makers. My view is that these firms are really a large reason why Japanese whisky is so interesting. Quite apart from my feelings about the effort and expertise that goes into making these whiskies available, I think the willingness of buyers to reward these companies innovation is why this whisky isn`t just lying inaccessible in the holdings of unmotivated and ignorant firms with little idea about the international whisky market. The vibrancy of the market these firms have help create is why we have all this new distilling and careful handling of the existing stock.
I absolutely see the sense in the other side of the argument and I think that it is great that we are having these discussion, but I don`t think I am alone in my way of thinking.
Sorry Chris but I am a bit confused. Are you talking about the prices charged by retailers in the UK/Europe for small, closed Japanese distillies whiskies or the wholesalers who supply them, or the price charged by these small distilleries/companies in Japan. I'm not sure that apart some who have posted questioning the prices of 3YO Chichibu selling for Y8000 that anyone has said that the prices charged for Hanyu/Mars/Akashi/Karuizawa are/were out of step with normal practice in Japan. I for one don't find a 20YO or older Hanyu or Mars single cask selling for $140-200 expensive or a 10-12YO for $90-100. I also haven't read that anyone has posted that small distilleries don't add vibrancy to the Japanese whisky scene or that these distilleries are not innovative(some are, others not so much) or don't require a lot of energy/effort or should be rewarded.
I do however think that the Myth that these small or defunct distilleries(that there is still stock of), somehow create better products than the big players should be exploded. IMO Yamazaki for instance has turned out a far more consistant product over the last 30 years than either Hanyu or Karuizawa. Yamazaki is also more innovative than both combined IMO and are far more likely to be able to turn their hand to something different and make it work. Karuizawa for instance being famous for one thing that being sherry cask whisky(and believe me I've had more than a few of these which are shite). I also don't subscribe to the notion that it's the small closed distilleries with high prices that are the primary reason for the growing popularity of Japanese whisky in UK/Europe. Fact, most people can't afford them and the majority who buy these 200-300 euro bottles are investors with no intention of opening them and I can't see how that adds anything to our understanding or appreciation. There are always more Karuizawa followed by Hanyu doing the investor merry go round on whisky auctions than the bigger distilleries products. Far more people have bought and opened Nikka Whisky From The Barrel for 35Euro and raved about it than any of the Single Cask closed distillery stuff(just read through the readers reviews on The Whisky Exchange website). Fact 2, I am on the 2 biggest english speaking whisky forums and I have read only once since it's release of anyone having a dram of '67 Karuizawa in the what are you drinking now section. No one is drinking the stuff as far as I can tell. In fact the only person who seems to be drinking Karuizawa on a semi-regular basis on these sites is me.
I also believe that saying whisky would just be lying inaccessible in the holdings of unmotivated and ignorant firms with little idea about the international whisky market and using firm in the plural is a bit inacurrate. There was only one that I can think of and this was Kirin. Hanyu(Toa Shuzou) had already gone bankrupt and stopped distilling before a change of ownership where as Kirin could have kept distilling at Karuizawa as they bought it as an active concern.
If we are back to the old chestnut that we should for some reason laud wholesalers who distribute Karuizawa/Hanyu/Chichibu/Asahi outside of Japan I just dont get it. They are clever businessmen who saw an opportunity made there move and like all good businesses are formed to make a profit. Well done I say, but they are businesses, not amateur enthusiasts spreading the gospel of Japanese whisky for the love of it. And lets not pretend that people cannot buy directly from Japan themselves,(with the exception now of most Karuizawa).
Anyway I may have missed the point altogther so that'll do from me for now.
The Anonymous poster was me, didn't have my login info on the cellphone...
I've paid what to me are very high prices for Japanese whiskies (Karuizawa specifically) because it's great stuff and not available in the States. The Japanese malts are high in price, but they're selling...so clearly they know what their market will bear. Unfortunately for my wallet, anyway.
In the case of the age statement, I'd note that other distilleries are trying to do the same thing, with varying success. In Hakushu's case, the open bottle for me to taste sealed the deal, age statement or not.
Finally--I just finished Chris' excellent book. Well done, sir! What enjoyable reading!
Actually thought of another couple of newish distilleries that charge/have charged a fair bit for young whiskies. Amrut and Kavalan. No experience with Amrut but I have a bottle of Kavalan Soloist Vinho Barrique 59.9%(think it's about 4 years old) which retails for about 100 bucks and is worth every penny. Certainly the best wine cask whisky I've ever tried, though this one tastes far more like a sherry/port cask hybrid.
I think that the quality of what's in the bottle is more important than an age statement. The quality of recent small batch releases from Suntory have by and large been unimpeachable. The puncheon/bourbon/sherry/heavily peated releases have generally been excellent. And I loved the Chita grain. In the latter case I believe the Chita is 12 years old but has no age statement
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