“Royal” was introduced in 1960 as the final masterpiece of Suntory’s founder and first master blender, Shinjiro Torii. Its bottle design is inspired by the kanji character 酉, symbolizing a vessel for sake, while the cap is shaped to resemble a torii gate. Twelve years in the making, layered with the beauty of Japan’s four seasons, it offers a fragrance as brilliant and elegant as a junihitoe (the traditional twelve-layered kimono), along with a smooth, mellow richness and deep, full-bodied flavor.

The master once poured me an old Suntory whisky — Suntory Royal 12 Year Old. To be honest, I had never expected much. Old Scotch? Often excellent. Old Bourbon? Frequently wonderful. But old Japanese whisky? I knew the harsh criticism surrounding the old “Daruma” bottlings — Suntory Old — so my expectations were honestly quite low. But if the master was choosing to pour it deliberately… there had to be a reason. And then I tasted it.
“…Suntory-san, I underestimated you. My apologies.”
It was good. No — more than that. I was genuinely surprised. “So this kind of properly structured, well-made whisky existed back then, too?” It wasn’t quirky or nostalgic.
It was simply, straightforwardly delicious. That experience reminded me of something simple: You really shouldn’t judge anything before actually trying it yourself.


Come to think of it, even at certain late-night establishments — the kind where you admire the “butterflies of the night” — the standard set drink was usually Suntory Old, the Daruma. Not good taste. I once stayed until closing, well past dawn. As the place was winding down, I happened to see the staff collecting half-finished bottles of Daruma from empty tables… and quietly combining what little remained in each into one full bottle. That little scene didn’t exactly improve my impression of the whisky. (^_^) Of course, that was a problem with the establishment, not the bottle itself. (@_@)