The Waters of Hakushu, an Amber Afterglow

Another Spirit, Born of This Land

Shichiken sake, a quiet companion at the dining table.

And an amber spirit, to be savoured slowly as evening unfolds.

One is brewed. The other, distilled.

Though they follow different paths, both reflect the water of this land and the time devoted to their making.

In this Letter, we share the story of a special whisky created for Private Villa esoto in collaboration with Suntory.

WATER IS OUR ESSENCE

Drawn to Hakushu by Water

Rain and snow falling upon the Southern Alps slowly filter through layers of granite, becoming purer along the way.

Hakushu is a land shaped by the gifts of this water.

Just as Shichiken has continued to brew sake here for generations, Suntory also found its way to Hakushu in search of water ideally suited to whisky making.

The Hakushu Distillery stands just a short distance from esoto.

What sustains these two distinct traditions of spirit making is the same land, the same natural environment of Hakushu.

Behind this glass, too, the story begins with water.

THE FOREST AND THE CASK

Time, Deep Within the Forest

At the Hakushu Distillery, traditional wooden washbacks are used for fermentation, while pot stills of different shapes and sizes produce a diverse range of malt whiskies.

The type of oak used for each cask, and the spirits it has previously held, also shape the aromas and flavours that develop over time.

Selecting the water.

Watching over fermentation.

Distilling.

Entrusting the spirit to oak.

And then, waiting as the seasons pass, year after year.

The care of human hands, and the patience to let nature take its course.

Together, they gradually shape the distinctive character of each spirit.

A SPECIAL ENCOUNTER

A Hakushu Single Malt, Exclusively for esoto

The whisky created for Private Villa esoto comes from a 2010 Hakushu single malt, matured in a Spanish oak cask.

It is a single-cask whisky, bottled from one carefully selected cask.

A private villa and a distillery, both rooted in Hakushu, brought together through a special collaboration.

That encounter has taken form in a bottle bearing the name of esoto.

What we hope to share through this whisky goes beyond its flavour.

The mountains where its water begins.

The forest where the spirit has matured.

And the years of dedication behind its creation.

We invite you to experience all of these as part of your time in Hakushu.

AN AMBER EXPRESSION

Richness, with a Silken Finish

The aroma opens with generous notes of berries and fruit preserves.

On the palate, rich flavours reminiscent of cacao and dark chocolate unfold with a smooth, velvety texture.

Beyond the sweetness lingers a pleasantly bittersweet finish.

Even after the glass is set down, its presence remains quietly in the senses.

Perhaps at the end of dinner, when there is nowhere else you need to be.

Begin with a small pour, enjoyed neat.

Then, add a few drops of water.

Or let a single cube of ice rest in the glass.

Allow the aromas to change slowly, as though listening to something almost too quiet to hear.

THE STORY CONTINUES

Savouring the Night in Hakushu, One Sip at a Time

From a glass of Shichiken sake to an amber whisky.

Though the spirit changes, the story always returns to the water of Hakushu.

There is something different about tasting a spirit in the very place that gave it life, rather than somewhere far away.

To be surrounded by the landscape that nurtured it, and to savour it alongside the quiet presence of the world beyond the window.

The stillness of the mountains.

The presence of the forest.

The cool night air.

To enjoy the time held within a glass, slowly, with all that surrounds you.

This is a moment we invite you to experience at esoto.

Private Villa esoto / Daigahara, Hakushu

Letter vol.04

The Water of Hakushu, an Amber Afterglow