Walk into almost any izakaya (Japanese pub) and you'll find highballs made with Kakubin or Torys — Suntory's two everyday whiskies, sold side by side in supermarkets and convenience stores across Japan. So what's the difference?
This guide compares Suntory Kakubin and Torys Whisky by history, malts, ABV, flavour and serve.
The differences at a glance
| Kakubin | Torys Whisky | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 1937 | 1946 (current recipe from 2015's "Torys Classic") |
| ABV | 40% | 37% |
| Key whiskies | Bourbon-cask malts from Yamazaki and Hakushu | Spanish-oak-cask malt and Hakushu malt |
| Flavour | Full-bodied, with a dry finish | Light, round and easy-going |
| Bottle | Tortoiseshell-patterned bottle, yellow label | Packaging featuring the "Uncle Torys" character |
| Best for | Highball, rocks, with water | Highball, with water, rocks |
Kakubin: Japan's classic highball whisky
Kakubin is a Suntory blended whisky launched in 1937. A best-seller for more than 80 years, it is said to be the best-selling whisky in Japan today.
- Whiskies: a balanced blend of bourbon-cask malts from Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries
- Flavour: sweet oak and vanilla with gentle malt; full-bodied, with a dry, clean finish
- Bottle: the tortoiseshell-patterned bottle and yellow label are unchanged since launch; the design is said to have been inspired by a Satsuma cut-glass perfume bottle given to founder Shinjiro Torii
It is designed to shine in a highball, and the "Kaku highball" is an izakaya staple.
Torys: light and easy
Torys was launched in 1946, in the lean postwar years, with the aim of offering good quality at an affordable price. It is famous for its mascot, "Uncle Torys."
Today's Torys Whisky has the same liquid as "Torys Classic," introduced in September 2015. From late November 2025 it was renamed "Torys Whisky," with new packaging featuring a large Uncle Torys (the liquid did not change).
- Whiskies: according to Suntory's chief blender, the key malts are malt aged in Spanish oak and oily-textured Hakushu malt, balanced to hold up when mixed with soda
- Flavour: a gentle, sweet nose of vanilla and caramel; light, round and smooth, with few rough edges and a short, clean finish
- ABV: 37%, sold in sizes from 180ml bottles to 4-litre PET bottles
Flavour compared
| Kakubin | Torys Whisky | |
|---|---|---|
| Nose | Sweet oak, vanilla, malt | Gentle vanilla and caramel |
| Body | Fuller | Lighter |
| Finish | Dry and crisp | Short and gentle |
| Character | Easy-going | Even more easy-going |
In short: Kakubin is body and crispness; Torys is lightness and ease.
In a highball
Both are made for highballs (whisky topped with chilled soda water over ice), but the results differ:
- Kaku highball: its fuller body keeps the whisky flavour clear even with soda, standing up to rich foods like karaage (Japanese fried chicken)
- Torys highball: light and gulpable. At 37% ABV it's a little lower in strength, so use a touch more whisky or a little less soda
A slice of lemon freshens both. See our guide on how to make a highball for the basics.
Which should you choose?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Want to taste the whisky clearly | Kakubin |
| Want something to drink with food | Kakubin |
| Want something light and refreshing | Torys Whisky |
| Don't like strong whisky flavours | Torys Whisky |
| Want to try a small bottle first | Torys Whisky (180ml available) |
Where to go next
Once you're comfortable with Kakubin or Torys highballs, try Suntory's Suntory Old, with mellow sherry-cask sweetness, or Chita, a light, gently sweet single grain. From Scotland, White Horse Fine Old is a great highball whisky with a light, fresh smoke.
See more in our guides to whiskies for highballs and Japanese whisky highballs.
Summary
Kakubin and Torys are both Suntory highball staples. Kakubin (40%) offers fuller body and a dry finish from Yamazaki and Hakushu bourbon-cask malts; Torys (37%) is light and round, built around Hakushu and Spanish-oak malts. Choose Kakubin to taste the whisky, Torys for an easy, refreshing drink.