Suntory brand ambassador Andrew Pang on the beauty of the Tsukuriwake Series

L'Officiel caught up with Andrew Pang as he shared the story and craftsmanship behind the Tsukuriwake Series.

You've come all the way to KL for Suntory’s Tsukuriwake Series. How would you introduce it to those who are just discovering it?

Tsukuriwake tells the origin story of Japanese whisky. It was because Yamazaki was the first and only whisky distillery in Japan that Suntory's method of making whisky involved a lot of experimenting with different components. This means using various different barely types, barrel and wood types, fermentation mediums and duration, and various lengths of maturation in a subtropical climate.

This series can be vastly different from what beginners and novice drinks are used to and I suggest trying to core range before venturing into this higher abv range.

Japanese whiskies like Yamazaki and Hakushu have such a rich heritage, what sets them apart from other varieties?

The way Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies are made truly put us a cut above the rest. These are premium craft spirits made after years of R&D and continuous refinement.

I know many whiskies use the term craft. Suntory has over 1000 different distillates across over 1.2 million barrels. These various distillates, aged over different lengths and in different barrels can also be sub-divided into different barely types, different levels of peating and so on. Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies are made by meticulously balancing these various distillates to get the final product. We add older whiskies into our young whiskies as well to add the complexity and consistency in taste and appearance. For example, the Tsukuriwake Yamazaki Mizunara 18 contains Mizunara aged whiskies that are anywhere from 19 years all the way to 40, bringing the average age up to around 26 years. But of course we still call it 18 years because the youngest whisky in the mix is 18 years.

finger person formal wear tie adult male man face cosmetics perfume

Suntory Brand Ambassador Andrew Pang

dining room dining table indoors table restaurant cafeteria interior design chair plate cup

Suntory launches the Tsukuriwake Series at Skillet KL

How they reflect the values of Japanese craftsmanship?

Suntory whiskies embody Japanese craftsmanship from conceptualization to finished product. Short answer - the continual refinement of everything single component with intention and brought to life with a balance of tradition and innovationOur blending philosophy is guided by 3 pillars:

Wa - the Japanese concept of balance between humans and nature. The idea is not just to find that harmony but to work towards that perfect balance and peace.

Monozukri - elevated craftsmanship. In Japanese culture, it is believed that everything has a god. The water, the trees, the people, the air, and therefore everything is greatly respected. This is reflected in how we treat everything we use for making whisky and we do it to the best of our abilities as a sign of respect to the material and our time.

Omothenashi - Authentic Japanese hospitality. This reflects the intention of why we make the liquids the way we do. For example, the Golden Promise barely type, though harder and mor eexpensive to work with is still used alongside other barely types to balance out the spiciness and astringent properties of Mizunara and Spanish oaks.

How do you think tonight’s menu curated by Skillet captures and explores the essence of Suntory’s Tsukuriwake?

Each dish brings out a certain profile of each of the whisky expressions. We are expect the heavier flavoured dishes to elevate the peatier whiskies for example.

Visit house.suntory.com to discover more.