Tokyo-based Suntory Spirits recently announced that it has succeeded in a world-first direct-fired distillation trial using 100% hydrogen for whiskey production at its Yamazaki Distillery.

The milestone marks positive progress in the company’s journey to decarbonise whiskey manufacturing while maintaining the quality craftsmanship of its whiskies.

The spirit distilled at this trial has the same quality and taste as those produced by conventional natural gas. The company aims to verify this technology at a commercial scale at its Hakushu Distillery.

It will be Japan’s largest 16-MW distillery called ‘Yamanashi Model Power-to-Gas (P2G) System’ and will produce “green” hydrogen.

In the traditional method of distilling, ‘direct firing’ is a flame that is used to heat the still at significantly higher temperatures compared to indirect heating by steam coils, thereby enhancing the spirit quality and depth of character.

It is for this reason that the company places the method as an essential process for quality craftsmanship and uses it for the first distillation to produce rich and strong new make spirits.

A technical verification was conducted with Tokyo Gas Group - a small-scale distilling facility specifically designed to enhance such innovative research and development.

With necessary safety measures put in place and the combustion equipment adjusted specifically for hydrogen use, it succeeded in distilling new make spirits with the same quality and taste as those produced by conventional natural gas.

To achieve a net-zero goal while maintaining quality craftsmanship, Beam Suntory, within the Suntory Group, aims to decarbonise its whiskey manufacturing in Scotland using green hydrogen.

Supported by UK government funding, this initiative involves a hydrogen direct-fired distilling trial at Yamazaki Distillery, partially funded by the same UK government funds. Collaboration within the Group extends to exporting a portion of the distilled spirit produced at this trial to Glen Garioch distillery in Scotland for casking and quality assessment as it matures.

Suntory is home to award-winning Japanese whiskies such as Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu, and iconic American spirits Jim Beam and Maker's Mark.