Reviewing the new Suntory Toki Blended Japanese whisky

let’s begin

Arriving on UK shores only this year, Suntory Toki is an excellent blended malt from Japanese Whisky giants Suntory.

THE BRAND

Suntory are one of the biggest producers of Whisky in Japan, and they have a lot of awards to show for their decades of Whisky creation. They were first founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, when he opened the Yamazaki Distillery near Kyoto.

The Suntory Toki Blended Japanese Whisky

With Whisky seeing such an uptake in interest, many brands are now trying to woo new drinkers with smooth bodied drama that are easily approachable.

Enter Toki, Suntory’s offering to new Whisky drinkers.

It is ultra smooth, with an easy going body and gentle, easily enjoyed palate.

It has been created using grain whisky from Chita distillery and malt from Hakushu and Yamazaki, with the malt playing just as much of a part on the taste as the grains.

Mike Miyamoto, Suntory’s global brand ambassador, explains:‘Usually grain plays the base in a blend, it’s always the unsung hero. But for Toki we took a different approach, we thought let’s have a two-pillar concept with as much focus on malt as grain, rather than a pyramid concept, where there’s a little malt at the top and the grain whisky comprises the main body,’

Tasting notes for Toki

Bottle cost: £24.92

The nose opens with gentle spice of cinnamon and cloves. Lots of soft bodied fruits come in such as bananas, peaches, apricots and raisins. These are joined by malted grains and crusty seeded bread

The oak of he casks also comes through, with a light, earthy note. It is reminiscent of orchards and dew covered grass. The wooded flavours are complemented well with the fruit notes.

The palate is sweet, with warm pastries and cinnamon. The malted grains and bread are still there and give a lovely mellow accent to he tang of the fruit. Sweet nuts, oats and barley are also present. They bring in a homely touch, really deepening the flavour and inviting more complexity.

The mouth feel is can only be described as smooth as glass. It is soft and mellow with an almost velvety note.

The finish is gentle, lingering on fruit notes and vanilla.

Whether your a whisky beginner or not, Suntory Toki is an incredible dram. Well worth seeking out now it is available in the UK.

What are you thoughts on the Toki blend? Start the conversation in the comments!

Tags: HakushuJapanese WhiskySuntorySuntory TokiYamazaki

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.