Suntory Royal Blended Whisky
Whisky : Suntory Whisky Royal
Country/Region : Japan/Blend
ABV : 43%
Cask : Ex-Bourbon, Sherry, Mizunara Oak
Tasting : Neat in a Glencairn @ Whisky Group Night
Nose : Candied pecans and pie crust with a faint dry white wine. It is sweet and light like honeyed tea.
Palate : Graham crackers and a rich pudding. Brings to mind banana pudding pie; the sort of Midwestern American potluck dessert which consists of instant banana pudding, chopped banana, and ‘Nilla wafers. Faint hints of cocoa suggest a light dusting on the pie.
Finish : Medium length sweet pastries.
Score : 4
Mental Image : Vanilla wafers and banana pudding pie.
Something Better : Chivas Regal 18 (more complexity, better finish, better mouthfeel)
Something Similar : The Chita Single Grain (similar light toasty pastry notes, bit more savory)
Something Worse : Brenne Single Malt (more artificial banana, sweeter)
Notes : This is the last review I wrote and rather forgot about. A left over from the first tasting event our local whisky group held. The theme of the event was Japanese whisky and the organizer drew in quite a crowd with the promise to try old favorites and hard to find releases. In addition to Japanese Whisky, there were a few allocated bourbons and an Irish whiskey. Trying to taste everything looked like a recipe for disaster, though a few brave (or foolhardy) men and women attempted just that. I tried to be strategic, taste the things that caught my eye, and space everything out enough so I could still jot down some notes and impressions of each.
I would not say this whisky really stood out, which is probably why I never bothered typing up my notes until now. It was, as many of the whiskies that night were, better than I expected of a “No Age Statement” Japanese whisky. My experience with the category had not been very good, maybe influenced by a few dregs. But after the tasting, I gained a better appreciation for some of the affordable and available bottles along the lines of Suntory Royal. It is probably not a whisky to blow people away, but it does show the potential for quality in the affordable end of the Japanese whisky spectrum.
I will not be rushing out to buy this bottle. I skipped it entirely for a few Nikka releases last time I had the chance in Japan. The Royal was pleasant, if not a little charming with its nostalgic flavor profile. I remember as a child being really offended by banana pudding pies; I just did not understand why someone would ruin perfectly good Nilla Wafers and whipped cream with foul banana pudding. My tastes have changed a lot since then, but I still think the Nilla wafers are probably the best part— and I think this dram has that nice honey sweetened pastry note, with just a hint of the creamy pudding banana.
