Shimamoto

Yamazaki Distillery

Shimamoto, Japan

Japan’s first and oldest malt whisky distillery, established in 1923 by Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii at Yamazaki on the outskirts of Kyoto (Shimamoto, Osaka Prefecture). Suntory describes it as the birthplace of Japanese malt whisky, chosen for soft water and a climate suited to long maturation. Craftsmanship combines multiple process elements to create a wide variety of malt spirits for the Yamazaki single malt and other Suntory whiskies. The visitor experience includes the Whisky Museum (part of the site since the founding era), guided production tours and a whisky library. Reservations are required for tours.