Typically, the focus of whisky cask ownership is on barrels that will over the course of decades eventually be distilled into single malts to be slowly enjoyed by connoisseurs of the craft.

However, this is not the only potential option and another premium path has potentially been opened by historic Japanese distillers Suntory, with a blended whisky made from whiskies that are all themselves at least four decades old.

This makes it the oldest blended whisky they have ever released, and one of, if not the oldest blended whisky ever sold between the start of the process and final bottling, considering the mix of components.

It is exceptionally rare for a blended whisky to be part of such a premium collection and the implications could be huge for collectors, connoisseurs and owners of casks alike.

A Blurry Reputation

Blended whisky does not have the best reputation amongst whisky collectors, which has a basis that is partly historical and partly to do with a perceived lack of intangible character elements.

A blended whisky is considered to be far more of a product to be consumed, a drink rather than a work of art, and on that basis are sometimes dismissed out of hand by some modern whisky collectors focused closely on providence or a lack thereof.

There was also a perception that blended whisky was far more about quantity rather than quality; several distilleries in the pre-Whisky Loch days specialised in whiskies that were relatively thin on their own but accentuated other spirits brilliantly when blended.

This was something that would ultimately make such products of silent distilleries absolutely fascinating when they would be used to make single malts; they were not always the best drams but they told a story that may not have been written had they been used as intended.

However, even whiskies intended for blending are the products of skilled artisans and masters of their craft, and the best way to illustrate that, at least according to Suntory, is to blend three of their finest and oldest whiskies from their three main distilleries.

The Japanese whisky market is unusual because the popularity of single malt domestic whisky is a relatively new phenomenon, only starting to emerge in the early 2000s once they started to win awards, Judgement of Paris-style.

This meant that Japan had their own Whisky Loch in the 1980s when tastes changed away from blended whisky towards white spirits on the low end and single malts on the high end, a process that would create a Lost Generation of spirits in the region.

The best way to break any preconceptions of quality, of course, is to put your best foot forward and offer the best experience that is possible.

With three 40-year-old whiskies in the literal mix, there is absolutely no way to deny the providence of the premium collection, and it features the same great accoutrements that most single malt premium collections do.

A crystal glass box, decorated with maki-e, mother of pearl and a lacquer of gold, as well as a box made from 12 kinds of wood native to the region, shows a commitment to showcase the finest side of blended whisky.

If it proves successful, it could lead to more ultra-premium blended whiskies entering the market and the chance for some silent distilleries to return as they were originally intended.