Japanese whisky is really hot now, and the lesser-known brands seem to be worried about sales, and while being surprised by this phenomenon, they will not forget to mention Yamazaki, the distillery that brewed the first bottle of Japanese whisky, detonated the Japanese market and won the throne of Japan's most expensive whisky.
Japan's most expensive whisky, the price increase is 2 times higher than the Shenzhen house price
In August 2018, a bottle of Yamazaki 50-year-old single-wheat whisky (first edition) was auctioned off at Bonhams in Hong Kong for HK$2,695,000, converted to about RMB2.38 million at the then-time exchange rate, making it the most expensive single-bottle Japanese whisky ever.
The auction price far exceeded the previous estimate of HK$1,800,000-2,400,000 (equivalent to about RMB1.59-2.12 million) and broke the previous record set by Karuizawa 52 Year's Dragon (HK$2,450,000, or about RMB2.165 million) set by Karuizawa 52 Years of Dragon in May of that year.
Daniel Lam, chief of wine and whisky at Bonhams Auction House, said: "Yamazaki 50 years is a top-notch whisky, and of course, it is also very rare. ”
The first edition of Yamazaki 50-year-old single wheat whisky was released in 2005, when the initial price was 1 million yen. According to the exchange rate at that time, the conversion into RMB was about 150,000 yuan. Compared with the auction price in 2018, that is to say, in 13 years, the price of the first edition of Yamazaki's 50-year single wheat whiskey has increased by about 16 times.
In 2005, the average house price in Shenzhen was 7,000 yuan, and in 2018, the average price was 53,000, an increase of about 7.5 times. Yamazaki's price increase in 50 years is 2 times that of Shenzhen's house prices, if you were lucky enough to buy 1 bottle of Yamazaki for 50 years, you would achieve RV freedom so easy in Shenzhen.
The Whisky Bible's Best Whisky of the Year, detonating the Japanese market
In 2003, Yamazaki's 12-year single wheat whisky won the Gold Medal at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC). Known as the "Oscar of the spirits industry," ISC is one of the most authoritative spirits competitions. Yamazaki 12 years is the first Japanese whisky to win a gold medal at ISC, and its status is extraordinary.
Since 2003, Yamazaki has led the company's other brands to great prizes in whisky rates, making Japanese whisky more and more popular. Of course, it has won many awards itself:
However, Yamazaki's rise to the world's attention is attributable to the leading whisky critic Jim Murray, who in his book Whisky Bible 2015 named Yamazaki Sherry Cask the "Best Whisky of the Year" and received a super high score of 97.5. So "Japanese whisky beats Scotland" shocked the world, and the price of Japanese whiskey began to soar wildly.
For the 2013 edition of this Yamazaki Sherry Barrel Whisky, the price increase is also like a rocket lift-off, when it was listed for $100, it soared to more than $3,000 in 2016. The price has increased by more than 30 times in 3 years, and it is better to buy a house than to buy a wine series.
The first whisky distillery in Japan, it has grown to become the third largest spirits company in the world
The founder of The Yamazaki Distillery, Torii Shinjiro, the founder of Japan's first distillery, founded the Torii store in 1899, when imported wines were sold with sour tastes and differences in eating habits that made Japanese consumers unable to accept such a taste.
After several years of dismal operation, the Torii store turned around with the sweet taste of Akatama Port Wine, making Nobujiro Torii profitable. By the mid-1920s, Akama Port had a share of more than 60% of the Japanese wine market. At this time, Nobujiro Torii had a bigger goal: to challenge whiskey spirits.
In 1918, Nobujiro Torii sponsored Masataka Takezuru to scotland to learn whisky-making techniques. In 1923, Nobujiro Torii built Yamazaki, Japan's first whisky brewery, in Yamazaki, southwest of Kyoto.
In the fifth year after the completion of the Yamazaki Distillery, the first Domestic Japanese whisky "Hakuza" was born. However, the white zanne made by traditional Scottish techniques has a strong smoky smell, which is not accepted by Japanese consumers and the market, and the 5 years of hard work have been in vain.
Nobujiro Torii therefore believes that there are differences in innate preferences between Easterners and Westerners, and Masataka Takezuru adheres to the traditional Scottish system. Masataka Takezuru eventually left Yamazaki due to disagreements in his ideas, and in 1934 established yoichi distillery in Hokkaido, which had a climate similar to Scotland's, and later Nikka.
As Japan gradually entered a state of war at that time, under the deterioration of diplomacy, Japan completely banned the import of Western whisky and other products, and suddenly there was no competitor, Andui Nobujiro's whisky quickly occupied the Japanese whisky market, and became the designated military supplies of the Japanese Navy, Army, etc., and was purchased in large quantities.
In 1961, Torii Shinjiro's company was renamed Suntory, meaning SUN (Sun) + TORY (Torii's Japanese pronunciation), and firmly held the largest share of the Japanese whisky industry. Of course, Yamazaki is Suntory's most important and high-end whisky brand.
Today, Suntory is Japan's largest liquor and food company, and the world's third largest spirits company, expanding its footprint outside of Japan, with brands including Marker's Mark in the United States, Bowmore in Scotch whisky, and Chateau Beychevelle in Bordeaux, France. Today, Suntory's annual revenue can reach $20.4 billion and employs about 40,000 people.
How is Yamazaki whisky, which has a unique oriental character, made?
As mentioned earlier, Nobujiro Torii believed that whisky that matched the preferences of the Oriental population could succeed, and in fact he did. So, how is Yamazaki whisky, which has unique oriental characteristics, made?
1, the establishment of the factory rain tea ceremony originator tea room, the water quality is the key
Nobujiro Torii had received advice from the leading Scottish brewer that the key to the distillery was the natural environment and the quality of the water. He found that this place in Yamazaki fully meets all the elements of the "natural environment": gentle and winding hills, beautiful bamboo forests and a humid climate.
There are 3 rivers that meet in Yamazaki – the Katsura River, the Uji River, and the Kizu River. The water temperatures of the 3 rivers are different, and the special terrain of the local area, which used to be foggy. The reason why "before" is used is because the current climate has changed somewhat, and it does not fog until about 1-2 days a month. However, the climate was very similar to scotland at the time, and it was a great place to age whisky.
The water here is of course also very good. In Japan's earliest poetry collection, the Manyo Collection, it is mentioned that Yamazaki has long been known for its luscious water quality. Yamazaki was the place where the famous tea master Senritsu set up a tea room. Senritsu once served Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was the originator and master of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Despite such a good background in the local water source, Torii Shinjiro was still uneasy, he sent samples to the Doctor in Scotland, and got the approval of the Doctor before starting to build the factory.
2, peat, yeast, fermentation tank brought about by the ever-changing
Until the early 1970s, Yamazaki's malting was carried out in the distillery, but it is no longer done. Now it's up to a dedicated company to provide malt, and Suntory also imports barley from the UK. Domestic barley in Japan costs a lot (5 times the price is 5 times that of imported barley) and is generally not used to brew whisky.
Yamazaki imports peat from Scotland to roast malt and uses different degrees of peat value (ppm) to provide different specialties for the product in the subsequent production steps. At the end of the year, wineries will generally use malt with a heavier peat value (about 40ppm) to make wine, which will have a distinct "medicinal, salty and fishy taste".
In order to obtain the clearest possible wort during saccharification, the filtration of the malt pulp proceeds very slowly. The wine produced by the clear wort will not have a strong grain characteristic and will be more delicate and elegant.
This wort is then transferred to 17 fermentation tanks. Before 1988, Yamazaki's fermentation tanks were made of stainless steel, but now there are 9 stainless steel and 8 Citi pines. Some distilleries that use wooden fermentation tanks believe that microorganisms lurking in the wood (yeast that have not been completely removed) can promote the formation of flavor substances in wort, thus affecting the characteristics of new wines; others say that these microorganisms have the effect of prolonging fermentation and keeping fermented wort warm in winter.
During the fermentation process, Yamazaki uses a variety of different brewer's yeast and brewer's yeast, most of which have their own unique roles. The winery's standard fermentation time is 3 days, which is a long fermentation (more than 55 hours), resulting in a lighter, more complex and fruity flavor.
Most of the swan necks of the distilleries used in distilleries are tilted downwards, which means that the reflux of the wine is reduced during distillation, and the new wine body obtained is thicker and fuller. Of course, the length of the distillation time will also affect the thickness of the wine body, and the longer the time, the lighter the wine. In addition, in terms of condensers, Yamazaki mostly uses shell tube condensers (insect tube condensers are very few), increasing the contact between alcohol vapor and copper walls, resulting in a lighter body. The shell tube can still be adjusted, and it is a different combination with the still.
These production processes can bring many changes to whisky: for example, barley with different peat values is mashed and then fermented in a woody or stainless steel fermentation tank using different (or mixed) yeasts, and distillation and condensation can also bring more variation.
3. Distinctive oak barrel management philosophy
Suntory has a very unique management philosophy on the barrels of mature whisky and also has its own barrel making team.
For the first time, the most common bourbon barrel in the whiskey industry, Suntory has 2 types of bourbon barrels, American bourbon barrels (180 liters) and pig's head barrels obtained after dismantling american bourbon barrels (Hogshead, 230 liters).
This is followed by the Bang Dome Barrel (480 liters), made from American white oak air-dried for at least 3 years.
Then there are high-quality sherry barrels (480 liters) that are obtained with all their might, air-dried for 3 years and then soaked in Oroloso for 3 years. The effort was clearly worth it, as evidenced by the Yamazaki Sherry Barrel Whisky 2013 edition winning the title of "Whisky of the Year".
There are also unique Japanese water lintel barrels, rare and expensive, a barrel costs up to 5,000 US dollars, can only make 150-250 a year, but can bring whisky a light and charming oriental atmosphere, such as Garo incense, sandalwood and other woody spices aromas.
Finally, there are red wine barrels (which offer the body structure and red and black fruit flavors) and plum barrels, and the cranberry aroma of Yamazaki Distillery's Reserve comes from red wine barrels.
4 or 3 different mature cellars
The Yamazaki Distillery also houses an old-fashioned sake cellar warehouse with three layers of barrel stacks and some shelf-type warehouses. Only about 10% of whiskies are aged in-house, and most of the rest of the original wine is shipped to Omi Cellars and Hakushu Distillation To be matured.
In addition to the different climates in these 3 places, there are also pragmatic considerations. The warehouses at the White State Distillery are rack-type and fit smaller barrels – American Bourbon and Pig's Head. The average temperature in Baizhou is low, which is suitable for small barrel types with large contact surfaces of liquor and wooden barrels. Yamazaki's higher temperatures make it more suitable for large barrels such as bang dome barrels and shirley barrels. Because the higher the temperature, the faster the whisky matures; the smaller the barrel, the faster it matures. Ohmi Aging Cellar is about 70 kilometers northwest of the Yamazaki Distillery, near Lake Biwa.
The ripening of different cellars can also bring more diverse styles to the original whisky, and the final blend of whisky is more refined and complex.
What are Yamazaki's sake offerings?
1. Yamazaki 1923 Single Wheat Whiskey
The Yamazaki 1923 Single Malt Whisky
After 10 years of production, Yamazaki became the new entry-level model, also known as New Yamazaki.
Released in the spring of 2014, this wine is also called Yamazaki Treasure Whisky, and 1923 is the year yamazaki was built, which is of some commemorative significance. It is an ageless whisky with a cranberry fruity aroma that comes from Bordeaux red wine barrels. The base wine of this wine is also ripened in sherry and water lintel barrels, imparting fruity aromas, oxidation aromas, and unique aromas of oriental spices.
2. Yamazaki 12 years of single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki 12 Years Old Single Malt Whisky
Born in 1984 on the 60th anniversary of the completion of the Yamazaki Distillery, this whisky is Japan's first single malt whisky and one of its most historically significant. At that time, there was no year indicated, and it was only after 1986 that the "12 years" appeared at 900 Eurosham.
Incidentally, at first, Yamazaki and Shirashu labels were marked with "Pure Malt", and only changed to "Single Malt" in 2004, in fact, the above terms all mean single wheat whiskey (100% barley is brewed and the base wine used for blending comes from the same distillery). So the old bottled Yamazaki and Hakushu's "pure wheat" means differently from today's pure wheat (a mixture of malt whiskies from more than one distillery).
Aged in three wooden barrels of American bourbon, sherry and water lintel barrels for more than 12 years, this wine is rich in flavor, and the flavors in the barrels will slowly penetrate into the whiskey during a long period of maturation, resulting in its full and rich body and delicate silky texture. This is one of Yamazaki's flagship products, leading Yamazaki to the world.
3, Yamazaki 18 years of single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky
Released in 1992, 80% of the base wine is aged in Shirley barrels for at least 18 years, with the rest aged in American bourbon and water lintel barrels. According to the information on the official website, this wine has won more awards than in 12 years. It's a mellow whisky with a sweet aroma that exudes ripe fruit, a heavy, thick woody feel with a deep finish.
4. Yamazaki 25 years of single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki 25 Years Old Single Malt Whisky
To commemorate Suntory's 100th anniversary, Yamazaki was released and listed in 1999. Produced in just over 1,000 bottles a year, the original wine is ripened in sherry barrels and has been brewed for 25 years, with a luscious aroma and a mellow and charming taste that is hard to forget.
5. Yamazaki 1984 single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki 1984 Single Malt Whisky
Yamazaki Distillery has 4 regular wines, the one mentioned earlier. The others are specially limited editions. Introduced in 2009 by Yamazaki, this rare and precious vintage is a 2,500-bottle blend of the distillery's original 1984 barrels.
6. Yamazaki Sherry barrel single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky
The first is the 2013 edition of The Yamazaki Sherry Barrel, the one that won the Whisky Bible 2015 "World's Best Whisky of the Year" with an alcohol content of 48% ABV and a limited edition of 18,000 bottles.
The Yamazaki Sherry Barrel 2016 edition was launched, with an alcohol content of 48% ABV, limited to 5,000 bottles, and it was also named "Japan's Best Whisky of the Year" by Whisky Bible 2017.
7. Yamazaki 50 years of single wheat whiskey
The Yamazaki 50 Years Old Single Malt Whisky
Speaking of Yamazaki, I have to mention this wine, which is Yamazaki's pinnacle masterpiece.
There are currently 3 editions available, the first in 2005, the second in 2007 and the third in 2011. The first 2 editions were all 53% ABV, each issuing 50 bottles, the top of the bottle was tied with golden rope, and the box was log colored. The third edition of 57% ABV, released 150 bottles, the mouth of the bottle is tied with red rope, and the box is black. The third edition is also special, it is 100% aged in a water bottle!