YAMAZKAKI DISTILLERY

HOW TO GET THERE

Yamazaki Distillery is in between Osaka and Kyoto. It can be reached in about 15mins on foot from either the Yamazaki station on the JR Kyoto line. (15mins, 220 yen one way from Kyoto station; or 30mins, note 460 yen one way from Osaka  station ) or the Oyamazak Station on the Hankyu Kyoto line (30mins, 270yen one way from Kyoto's Kawaramachi Station.

Take note on the type of train you are taking. (Either a rapid express or a local train)
The difference can make a 20min journey become an hour.

Upon reaching the station. You would be greeted by signboards, guiding you to whisky haven.


It is highly recommended not to lug you luggage around. The road is long, and your luggage wheels are not meant to withstand uneven tarmac. Furthermore, there is a railway crossing and you don't want your luggage to be caught in between!

What to do in the distillery

You could either partake in the distillery tour. It is a paid tour, and it is suggested to book at least 4mths in advance. It is that hot. You can reserve your slot on the tour here.
If you miss the tour, fear not. There is still the whisky museum, and tasting room to visit.

The Tour

You will be first taken to a huge malting and mashing room. Mashing is a process where the barley's starch gets converted into sugar. If you recall the process for producing alcohol, the formula would be
Yeast + Sugar = Alcohol + CO2 and other by products

During mashing, the mash tun is temperature controlled and it emits a sweet aroma as sweet sugary liquid is produced.

The room in which mashing takes place, felt like an oven even from afar. Temperatures that can rise as high as boiling point in some tuns. The sweet aroma emitted from the tuns, felt like walking through a field of honey. This sugary liquid also known as 'wort', is the foundation of which whiskies are made.

The whole process was clockwork, and efficient in every sense. From it's layout to the delivery process from one station to another. Barley was also explained to us, that it is purchased everywhere. QC is stringent and only the best makes it to the final barrels.
Unlike wines, there are no laws governing where a whisky must purchase it's peat and/or barley. Hence terroir is a questionable factor when it comes to whisky tasting.






Fermentation takes place in giant 2 story vats, across the room which is barred from visitation. The worts are cooled down, and yeast are added to begin the process. The yeast feeds on the sugar till none or little are left, leaving alcohol, C02 and other by products.












The tour is conducted in Japanese, but fear not as there is an English translation. Just let the counter know at the visitation counter your preference.

The tour guides are friendly, young and energetic. Feel free to field your questions, and they will answer questions as best as they can.

After fermentation, the group is led to a large room. Where large copper stills sit and wait. Pot stills are used in the distillation process. The fermented product, or wash still is boiled close to boiling point. The vapor which is channeled to a condenser, in which the vapor is condensed into a liquid.

This distillation process filters out any undesirable products. The remaining solids, which are not evaporated also known as 'pot ale' are often used for farm feeds.

Strangely the shape of the copper still is a key component in determining the taste profile of the whisky. Though no scientific conclusion on how shapes affect taste profiles exist at the point of writing.


The last room showcases the distilled spirit and in which casks the whiskies are aged in.

There has to be thousands of barrels in which the room houses. It gives the feeling of grandeur and how lacking my whisky journey has been so far.

This is where the audio journey last the longest and spends most efforts explaining the strength and importance of each cask.

The first cask in 1924, is also on parade in the distillation room.

The Tasting Room

After the tour is done, everyone is eagerly ushered into the tasting room. A set of single malts are set on display with typically Japanese efficiency. Each aged in a different cask, and to serve a different task. Every individual, is encourage to express what they felt in the whiskies bouquet and palate. A confidence builder in any newcomer in the world of whiskies.

The Museum

The museum, is in which tourist can shop for whiskies, trinkets and other souvenirs. If you are wishing for some rare whiskies, that can be put to bed. What is sold at the shop, is something that can bought off shops in DFS anywhere in the world. Hordes of Chinese tourist, would also wipe out anything off the shelf by 12noon. So being there early is advisable.

Instead head to the whisky library, to gasp at the volumes of whisky on offer. Something only one can drink off. There are also tastings on offer at the museum, as low as 100Yen.

I would suggest trying the tasting Al Fresco style. The nature, the whiskies on offer, and the entire vibe relaxes anyone present.

Overall it is an experience i would recommend everyone to go experience.


Gerard Zhang
WSET, CSW