🥃 Hakushu
Japanese single malt whisky distillery in the forest at the foot of the Southern Alps (Hokuto, Yamanashi), established 1973; owned by Suntory.
Hakushu is a distillery and brand of Japanese single malt whisky owned by Suntory. It stands in the forest at the foot of the Southern Alps (Minami Alps) in Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture. According to Suntory it was established in 1973 in the forests of Mount Kaikomagatake and is one of the highest distilleries in the world. Its concept is a "Mountain Forest Distillery" with a bird sanctuary as its symbol.
History. According to House of Suntory, Keizo Saji, the company's second master blender, searched across Japan for high-quality water and chose the Hakushu site.
How it is made. Suntory describes soft water from the Minami Alps, filtered through granite for about 20 years. The distillery uses wooden washbacks and stills and casks of various sizes, which together give a wide variety of whiskies.
Range. Distiller's Reserve, Hakushu 12 (lightly peated), 18 and 25 years old; the 18 Peated Malt is not a permanent part of the range but a limited release that came out in 2023–2025; its make-up and strength vary between releases (Whisky Advocate). Suntory calls the style green and crisp, with gentle smokiness and herbal notes, and suggests neat, on the rocks or as a highball.
Why it matters to you. Hakushu is a single distillery's whisky, so check the version on the label: the lightly peated 12 and the 18 Peated Malt differ in character. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1973 (per Suntory), Suntory; Hakushu, Hokuto, Yamanashi Prefecture |
|---|---|
| Raw material | soft water from the Minami Alps, filtered through granite (about 20 years, per Suntory) |
| Distillation method | wooden washbacks; stills and casks of various sizes (per Suntory) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Suntory Global Spirits
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Whisky, 🥃 Japanese whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 East Asia
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Peated whisky, 🥃 Yamazaki, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Yoichi Single Malt
Frequently asked questions
Is Hakushu one of the highest distilleries in the world?
Suntory calls it one of the highest distilleries in the world, established in 1973 in the forests of Mount Kaikomagatake.
Who owns Hakushu?
Suntory; the distillery is listed on Suntory's own website.
Is Hakushu peated?
Partly. Hakushu 12 is lightly peated, and the 18 Peated Malt is a limited release that came out in 2023–2025; its make-up and strength vary between releases.
Who chose the site of Hakushu?
According to House of Suntory, Keizo Saji, the company's second master blender, searched across Japan for high-quality water and chose Hakushu.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Peated whisky — Whisky with a smoky aroma from malt dried over a peat fire; it is a style, not a separate legal category.
- 🥃 Glenfiddich — Distillery and brand of single malt scotch in Dufftown (Speyside), founded in 1886; owned by the family firm William Grant & Sons; the 12-year-old is 40% ABV.
Similar
🥃 Yamazaki · 🥃 Cooley · 🥃 Loch Lomond Distillery · 🥃 Teacher's · 🥃 Connemara · 🥃 Glengyle
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- House of Suntory: Hakushu Single Malt Japanese Whisky (established 1973, Mt. Kaikomagatake, Southern Alps, Keizo Saji; one of the highest distilleries; Distiller's Reserve, 12, 18, 25, 18 Peated Malt; serving)
- Suntory: Hakushu Distillery, About (Minami Alps water filtered through granite; Mountain Forest Distillery, bird sanctuary; wooden washbacks, stills and casks of various sizes)
- Suntory: Hakushu Distillery (2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Hokuto-city, Yamanashi; forest at the foot of the Minami Alps)
- Whisky Advocate: House of Suntory Releases its 2024 Tsukuriwake Series (25.06.2024; Hakushu 18 Peated Malt, limited global release; 2023 100th anniversary bottling)
- Whisky Advocate: Hakushu Peated Malt 18 year old 2025 Release, 48 % (Winter 2025)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)