The Founding Story Behind the House of Suntory

3 days ago

Shinjiro Torii founded a shop in 1899 to address the mismatch between Western alcohol and Japanese tastes, leading to Suntory's creation.
Key early products included Akadama Port Wine (1907), Japan's first whisky distillery (Yamazaki, 1923), and the successful Suntory Whisky Kakubin (1937).
Post-WWII, Suntory rebranded, expanded with Torys Whisky and Uncle Torys mascot, and grew sales significantly during Japan's economic boom in the 1970s.
The Hibiki blended whisky, launched in 1989, gained international acclaim, cementing Japanese whisky's global reputation.
Suntory diversified into soft drinks (like BOSS Coffee) and became a global spirits giant through major acquisitions, including Beam Inc. in 2014.
In the 2010s, Suntory revived domestic whisky sales by promoting highballs in izakayas, standardizing preparation, and boosting exports.
Formal standards for 'Japanese whisky' were established in 2021, with Suntory complying and emphasizing values like 'Yatte Minahare' and 'Wa'.
Nobuhiro Torii, the founder's great-grandson, became president in 2025, as Yamazaki Single Malt continued to win top international awards.

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