Yamazaki 18 Year Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky - 70cl 43%

The Yamazaki distillery was opened in 1923 by Torii Shinjirō as the first malt whisky distillery in Japan. The company founder and chairman of Kotobukiya (the predecessor company of Suntory) wanted to produce a serious whisky and therefore hired Taketsuru Masataka, whom he appointed factory director of the Yamazaki distillery in 1924. This descendant of a sake brewing family from the 17th century was in Scotland in 1918. He traveled to study at Glasgow University and learned how to make Scotch whisky on site. He married a Scottish girl, Jessie Roberta "Rita" Cowan in 1961, who went to Japan with him in 1920. The founder of Suntory, Shinjiro Torii, decided to begin whisky-making with a passionate desire to create a perfect whisky that reflects the nature of Japan and the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship.