The Suntory also Rises

Earlier this month,Suntory,one of Japan’s best-known distilleries,launched two of their premium whisky brands — Yamazaki and Hibiki — in India. Now,most Indians know of Yamaha and Hayabusa and that Japan produces great superbikes,but whisky? Yamazaki is actually a 12-year-old single malt,busting the myth that Scotland has a monopoly on the product. Hibiki is a 17-year-old blended whisky. These will retail in India between Rs 6,500 and Rs 10,000. At that price,would whisky connoisseurs here buy a Japanese brand rather than the more famous Scottish variety? The answer,surprisingly,could be yes.

Suntory,the 88-year old company,which owns Japan’s first-ever distillery,Yamazaki,has a long-standing association with whisky consumers and has tied up with Radico Khaitan in India. Other Japanese single malts too have been making waves across the world. Yoichi,a Japanese product from the stable of the famous distillery Nikka,was named as the best single malt in the world at the World Whisky Awards last year. Now it’s come to India.

The launch of these two Japanese brands also points at a significant shift. Earlier,high-end restaurants in India had to import these whiskies directly from Japanese distillers. Now,Japanese distillers are making a beeline for India to market their products,either directly or through tie-ups with Indian whisky-makers and suppliers.

In India,the rise of Suntory and Nikka is directly connected to the proliferation of Japanese restaurants in various metros and the fact that sushi is now nearly as popular as burgers or pizzas. With that has come a demand and a seemingly growing appreciation for Japanese whiskies. The Taj Mahal Hotel was perhaps the first to introduce Japanese ‘Scotch’ at their Wasabi restaurants in Mumbai and Delhi,in 2005 and 2008 respectively,where a 30 ml peg of Yoichi (from the Nikka stable) could set you back by approximately Rs 1,500.

Recently,others have followed suit. The Metropolitan Nikko in Delhi has been serving Japanese whiskies since it opened a few years ago while the Oberoi hotels serve Japanese whisky at their all-day dining outlets — 360 in Delhi and 361 in Gurgaon. The Oberoi serves a set of four — the Nikka Pure Malt and All Malt,and the two Suntory labels,the Yamazaki and the Hibiki,priced between Rs 525-Rs 800 for a 30-ml peg. Says Prashant Gupta,food and beverages manager at the Oberoi,Gurgaon: “Japanese scotch goes equally well with sushi and teppanyaki,as with kebabs and north-eastern cuisine.” He adds that the Suntory has become one of the Oberoi’s highest selling brands in a relatively short span of time.

For the Japanese,who were almost absent from international markets until 2006-2007,the flourishing sales can only mean good news,since their distillers have started testing the waters outside their country owing to declining sales in the domestic market. Besides Suntory and Nikka,the two most well-known whisky companies in Japan,several other lesser-known distilleries such as Hakushu,Miyagikyou,Karuizawa and Hanyu have also entered the Indian market.

One of the reasons why so many high-end restaurants in India are now stocking Japanese whiskies is because of the variety in taste they provide. Gupta says that compared to Scotch,which generally has a floral,sherry nose,the Japanese whisky is woody,fruity and tastes of honey and toffee,well suited for young drinkers as well as women. Adds Ankur Chawla,the sommelier at the Wasabi: “Japanese whiskies pair extremely well not just with Japanese and Thai food,but also with Indian food. Interestingly,each Japanese variety of whisky has a different character as opposed to the traditional Scotch,which is generally smoky and overpowering,irrespective of brands. So,you can pair different varieties with different cuisines. For instance,Nikka goes well with murg malai tikka.”

Hiroyoshi Miyamoto,general manager,quality communication at Suntory,who was in India for the launch,explains the difference between the Japanese whiskies and the ‘traditional’ Scotch available in the market. He says that unlike European blends,the Japanese whiskies come with a delicate yet complex taste,where each sip unveils a new layer of aroma. “While in Scotland they use steel casks that are more durable and economical,in Japan,we still prefer the old-world hand-made wooden casks for brewing the whisky,because the kind of bacillus (bacteria) that we require to give out that particular aroma and brew,can only survive in a wooden cask,” he says.

Also,while the process is more homogenous in Scotland,with one distillery producing just one kind of flavour,the use of casks of different shapes,sizes and heights in Japanese distilleries produce different flavours and tastes. In that sense,a Japanese single malt breaks away from tradition. “Traditionally,a single malt is considered to be the whisky from one distillery. In Scotland,one distillery produces one whisky,so a single malt implies just one variety. But the Yamazaki,for example,although produced in one distillery,is a fine combination of three components — the white oak (80 percent),the sherry (15 percent) and the Mizuara (5 percent). So it’s a single malt,but with a difference,” says Miyamoto.

The hitch is that Japanese whiskies take 10-12 years to brew,which is why it’s not easily and readily available. Yet,if the growing popularity of Japanese foods and whiskies in India are any indication,the land of the rising sun may soon be known as the land of the rising Suntory!