Company: Suntory
Distillery: Blend of Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita Distilleries
Region: Yamazaki district near Kyoto, Japan
Aging: 3 Years
ABV: 43%
Proof: 86
Mash Bill: Blend of Suntory’s two malt distilleries – Hakushu and Yamazaki – and the grain distillery Chita
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $40
Where I Tasted Suntory Toki Today
I went to see an all-time classic Japanese film from 1954 called Seven Samurai today at my local theater called Row House Cinema.
The film is among the greatest in Japanese cinema and is directed by the acclaimed Akira Kurosawa.
The story explains how a rag-tag team of Samurai fight off a band of bandits to help protect a farming village from being pillaged and plundered.
It’s got a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and George Lucas has stated his love for Seven Samurai and the way it changed cinema. I’m also a big fan of Star Wars so it’s fun to see the influences from Seven Samurai.
Since the movie is 3 hours and 20 minutes long, the movie theater had an intermission and we were served some Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky to celebrate alongside the film.
While I had already seen Seven Samurai years ago and had my own bottle of Suntory Toki at home, it was a great way to celebrate an all-time classic film and enjoy it with some whisky.
So after a fun day influenced by Japanese culture, let’s get into the whisky review.
Suntory Toki – Japanese Whisky Tasting Notes
Appearance: Light Hay
Nose: Honey, floral, grain, light fruits, lemon zest, raisin
Palate: Raisin, tropic fruit, green apple, honey, grain, vanilla, oak
Finish: Smooth medium finish that leaves you with nice fruit and raisin notes with vanilla and oak with a lingering white pepper spice on the tail end
Is Suntory Toki an Approachable Whisky?
Suntory Toki is a very easy whisky to drink. It has a 43% ABV which allows you to get a nice bit of flavor without having a ton of heat and burn on the sip.
This would be a great introduction whisky for people looking to learn a bit more about Japanese whisky.
Is Suntory Toki Complex?
Suntory Toki has a few layers of flavor.
It starts with a nice honey note that gives you a sweetness that you don’t always find in American whisky.
It then follows up with a pretty powerful blast of fruit like raisin, green apple, and lemon zest.
As you roll into the finish, you get a bit of vanilla and oak on the palate but not in the way you would with an American bourbon. It’s a smooth oak that is just barely noticeable in the background. I guess this is foreshadowed when you look at the bottle and see how light the color is.
What are Suntory Toki’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Suntory Toki’s strongest attribute is its light smooth honey and fruit flavors.
Is Suntory Toki a go-to whisky?
Suntory Toki could easily be a go-to whisky. At the $40 price point, it has a nice amount of flavor with a smooth easy finish.
Is Suntory Toki priced accurately to its quality?
Suntory Toki is a great buy for its price tag. It certainly delivers on the $40 cost.
Conclusion for Suntory Toki – Japanese Whisky
Suntory Toki is a great bottle if you are a fan of Japanese whisky or fruit-forward Scotches like Oban or Balvenie.
When I compare my favorite Japanese whisky (Yamazaki 12 Year) to this, I can certainly see that some of the same flavors are delivered in this bottle since Yamazaki distillery is part of this blend.
The big difference is that a bottle of Yamazaki 12 Year costs $150 and Suntory Toki only cost $40.
If you have never had a Japanese whisky before, Suntory Toki is a great place to start.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
If you decide to give this bottle a shot, please let me know on social media via Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for reading and cheers!
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