【Scotch whisky newcomer Ardray】
【One of Suntory's whisky brands】
【Japanese craftsmanship combined with the richness of Scotch whisky to create a new flavour】
TSC156 - Ardray Blended Scotch Whisky
Region : Scotland
Alcohol : 48%
Volume : 700ml
Special Price: $695/bottle
To taste, we recommend the signature serve, Ardray “Off the Rocks” to unlock the deep and complex flavours within the whisky. This can be achieved in one of two ways:
1. Using tongs, hold an ice ball above a tumbler, and slowly pour the whisky across the ice, letting it gently cascade down into your glass.
2. In a mixing glass, gently stir the whisky briefly with ice, before straining it into your chosen serving glass.
Ardray is one of the whisky brands of Suntory, one of Japan's oldest companies. Its name means ‘Walking Towards the Light’, which symbolises the spiritual guidance of Shinjiro Torii, the father of Suntory, and the brand's vision and pursuit of continuous improvement and advancement of whisky development. It also embodies the brand's vision and pursuit of continuous improvement and whisky development.
In 1923, Shinjiro Torii embarked on a journey into the world of whisky with the vision of creating a refined and complex whisky that would satisfy the discerning taste buds of Asian drink lovers. Taking inspiration from the exceptional quality of Scotch whisky, he incorporated Japanese craftsmanship and Japanese liquors to create Suntory whisky with its roots in Yamazaki, and in 2023, following in the footsteps of Mr Torii's vision of a century ago, Calum Fraser, Chief Scotch Blender at Beam Suntory, Suntory's spirits-focused subsidiary, joined forces with Suntory to develop a new whisky brand, the Suntory Whisky Company. Calum Fraser, Chief Blender for Scotland at Beam Suntory, and the Suntory Whisky team looked to the blended whiskies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries to rethink and explore the possibilities of blended whisky.
During the blending process, the team started with a ratio of 5% malt whisky to 95% grain whisky, increasing or decreasing the ratio of the two whiskies by 5%, all the way up to a combination of 95% malt whisky and 5% grain whisky. After a certain level of precision, the team then reduces the adjustment to 1% and continues to work on the optimum blend. The result of this meticulous process is a balanced and complementary blend of malt and grain whiskies that enhances the depth and complexity of the final product.
The Suntory distillery team recognised that each distillery produces a distinctive character of whisky, influenced by the particular terroir and craftsmanship of the distillery, which they refer to as ‘distillery style’. Recognising this, the team selected a range of grain and malt whiskies from Penn Suntory and the Edrington Group. To discover the unique flavour of each blend, the team analysed the terroir and distilling processes of each distillery in depth, examining the effects of climate, water and terrain on flavour, as well as delving into traditional methods of distilling such as Floor Malting, to explore the impact of these factors on the taste and style of the whisky.
Sifeng uses the ‘Double Solera Process’ - a small portion of each original wine is kept in the final blend to ensure consistency of flavour, and a small portion of the finished wine is kept for the next batch after blending. Once blended, a small amount of the finished wine is saved for the next batch. In this way, the old and the new are blended to complement each other, giving each batch a balanced structure and a consistent style. Each batch is bottled and labelled with a specific year.
