Haiku in your whisky glass

A haiku is more than just a 17-syllable poem. Traditional Japanese haikus have one fluid line, divided into five, seven and five sound units (shorter than English syllables), with usually a seasonal reference thrown in.

And that is the metaphor one can think of when master blender Hiroyoshi Miyamoto, general manager, quality communications, of Suntory Liquors Limited describes Japanese whisky. “Imagine a round, a globe,” he suggests, “It is one whole thing, but made up of several complex flavours that come together to create something very subtle. That is what Japanese whisky is like. Suntory started with the idea of creating something complex, yet subtle, to appeal to the delicate Japanese palate.”

Considering they have almost 90 years of history behind them (Suntory has been making whisky since 1923), that’s putting an entire heritage in a sentence.

Japanese whisky has been the well-kept secret of the true cognoscenti for years now. But this is the first time it has come calling to India; and for those who need their flash cards to brush up on this test, here’s a quick background.

Miyamotosan gently explains the basics: “Single malt is whisky made from one distillery. A blended whisky blends in single malts from different distilleries, along with grain whisky.” And Suntory has both on offer for the Indian whisky drinkers. There is the award-winning Hibiki 17 Years Old Hibiki being a premium blend of 30 selected malt distillates and grain whiskies. And then there is Yamazaki 12 Years Old, from the Yamazaki Distillery, also recipient of several awards.

“We are not new entrants. We have been making whisky for over 70 years now. What we have is something that is much like Scotch whisky, but with a different character. It is a subtle flavour, and that goes very well with Indian food too, given that it is not so strong that it overpowers the flavours. You take a sip and you realise it is mellow and pleasing, and then there is a bouquet of delicate flavours that speak of its complexities,” he adds.

Suntory started the first commercial production of whisky in Japan with the first distillery in Japan, Yamazaki, which it owns. Incidentally, they also own the Bowmore distillery in Scotland. While its first foray in exports, in the 1960s, wasn’t well-received in Europe, in the last two decades, Japanese whisky has achieved a cult following, often emerging as winners in blind tasting sessions, holding its ground against Scottish whisky.

“We hold 70% of the market share in Japan. And we have been very successful in Europe and the US. India is one of the largest whisky markets and we simply have to look at India. The growing markets are China, India and South America right now. For people who know their single malts and blends and are looking for something new, this is it. It is delicate, yet subtle, refined, yet complex,” says Akio Mizutani, deputy general manager, international liquor division, Suntory Liquors Ltd.

Facilitating Suntory’s entry into India is Radico Khaitan Ltd. Delhi has been wonderfully receptive to Suntory’s offerings, and now it is the turn of Bangalore. Mumbai is also on the radar, says Ankur Sachdeva, senior vice president, international business, radico Khaitan Ltd. “I can’t give you figures,” he admits upfront, “because this is not about quantity. Since Suntory exports to the whole world and yet can make only so much, we’ll be happy to bring to India, whatever they give us. It is a more qualitative thing. However, we also plan to introduce Hakushu, a more peaty single malt, soon.”
And has entry into Karnataka been snag-free? Ankur says yes.

“The laws are not the most efficient or convenient, but these are the rules, and we abide by them,” he states. And why do we bring that up? Well, just to give you an idea, a bottle of Hibiki 17 Years Old costs Rs9,500 in Delhi and Rs12,717, in Bangalore. For Yamazaki, you’d pay Rs9,700 here, while you can pick it up for Rs6,500 in Delhi. And as every connoisseur avers, that’s a price well worth paying because Japanese whisky is described as a luxury experience by those in the know. You must not miss it.