Hakushu has always been the quiet rebel in Suntory's lineup. While Yamazaki gets the spotlight and Hibiki gets the awards shelf, Hakushu sits in the Japanese Alps doing its own thing — and the 18 Year Old Peated from the 2024 Tsukuriwake series is proof that patience and a little smoke go a long way.
The Tsukuriwake concept — roughly translating to 'the art of making' — is Suntory's way of showing off the individual building blocks behind their blends. This release pulls back the curtain on Hakushu's peated malt character, aged a full 18 years. At 48% ABV, it's bottled at a strength that actually lets you taste what's going on without needing to add water (though you absolutely can).
What makes Hakushu's peat different from, say, an Islay malt is context. The distillery sits at around 700 metres elevation in the forests of Yamanashi Prefecture. That environment — cool mountain air, soft water from granite-filtered sources — shapes how the spirit matures. Japanese peat itself tends to produce a lighter, more herbal smoke compared to the maritime iodine punch you'd get from Scotland's west coast. Eighteen years of maturation smooths that smoke further, integrating it rather than letting it dominate.
This is a whisky that rewards you for slowing down. It's not shouting at you. The peated element here plays a supporting role — think campfire embers rather than bonfire. At this age, you'd expect complexity, and Hakushu delivers. The 48% ABV is a smart choice. It sits in that sweet spot where you get weight and texture without the burn.
The Verdict
Let's address the elephant in the room: £1,250 is serious money. There's no getting around that. But here's the thing — aged Japanese whisky at this level is genuinely scarce. Suntory pulled most of their age-statement releases years ago because stocks couldn't keep up with demand. An 18-year-old peated expression from Hakushu isn't just rare, it's the kind of bottle that might not come around again in this form.
Is it worth it? If you're a collector or a serious Japanese whisky enthusiast, yes. This is a refined, distinctive expression that showcases a side of Hakushu most people never get to try. The peat adds a dimension that sets it apart from the standard Hakushu profile, and 18 years of age gives it a maturity that shorter-aged releases simply can't match. I'm giving it an 8.6 out of 10. It loses a fraction for the price barrier — at this cost, I want it to absolutely floor me, and while it's excellent, it's more of a contemplative experience than a jaw-dropper. But the craftsmanship is undeniable, and it's one of the most interesting Japanese releases I've tasted this year.
Best Served
Go neat first, always. Give it ten minutes in the glass and let it open up. Once you've had your fill, try it as a luxury mizuwari — one part whisky, two parts chilled Japanese mineral water like Suntory Tennensui. It sounds counterintuitive with a £1,250 bottle, but mizuwari is how many Japanese whisky makers prefer their spirit, and the dilution unlocks a completely different aromatic profile. The smoke becomes almost incense-like. If you're feeling adventurous, a single large ice sphere works beautifully too — the slow dilution stretches the experience out over twenty minutes, and the cold tames the peat into something silky.
