Suntory Japanese Whiskey

2 distilleries in Japan Hakusu and Yamazaki for Suntory whiskey

The Suntory group has become a sprawling distribution group in the world of wines, spirits, softs and waters, which owns among others Château Lagrange in Saint-Julien. Suntory also owns 2 distilleries in Japan, Hakusu and Yamazaki. It is from the production of these different but very complementary distilleries that Suntory offers a wide range of Blended Whiskeys including the famous HIBIKI.

Suntory Whiskey has been voted Distiller of the Year several times by the jury of the International Spirit Challenge ISC

The history of Suntory begins in 1899 with a wine and spirits business headed by Mr. Shinjiro Torii, who decides to create in the 1920s the first Japanese whiskey. He hires Mr Masataka Taketsuru (who will be the founder of the Nikka group) who has just returned from Scotland and where he learned the art of whiskey. Shinjiro Torii starts in 1923 the construction of Yamazaki his first distillery not far from Kyoto. A second Hakushu distillery will be built in 1973. The Blend Hibiki range was created in 1989.