Haku Vodka is the Japanese answer to the Worldwide demand for Premium Spirits. Japanese Culture always seeks for Perfection and so does Beam Suntory with this Spirit.
Using one of the Countries most Iconic Products, a white Rice, was a natural step. Rice has a long and deep connection to Japanese Culture. Rice was a Symbol of luxury and was only reserved for the Rich.
Haku itself means, depending on the way you read it either White witch referrers to Hakumai or Junpaku witch then means untainted and brilliant tributing the Japanese Craftsmanship.
The polished and milled Rice gets fermented, not with a Yeast, but with Rice Koji ( a Fungus Culture that is also used to make Sake and or Soja ) before it gets distilled in Pot stills in Kagoshima. From there the Rice Spirits is brought to Kyushu a region famous for its Rice Spirit know-how. Now this next step is a little different from a lot of Vodka distillations. Here the Spirit is Separated and distilled in two different processes. The Goal is to archive Body and Volume as well as distinctive Flavour. The blending is finished in Osaka. This is what they call “Monozokuri” a synonym for the Spirit of producing something with Pride, Skill, Dedication, and the pursuit of Innovation and Perfection.
The Final Step in the making of Haku is the Filtration. Beam Suntory uses a Bamboo Charcoal filtration. This type of Filtration was used in Ancient Japan to Filter the water for Tea. Originally they said it makes the water sweeter, but it filters the impurities out of it. the Bamboo has a super-porous Structure, three times higher than other wood types. This makes the Haku smooth and mellow.