Suntory Whisky

The story of Shinjiro Torii and his whisky

They say that telling the story of Suntory Whisky means telling the story of its founder, Shinjiro Torii.

It was in 1923 that Shinijo Torii first fantasised about the idea of a whisky full of Japanese nature, handcrafted in a way that would be in perfect balance with the nature that inspired him.

His aim would be to create a refined whisky, simple and elegant, but with a touch of complexity, tailored to the Japanese palate, capable of elevating their gastronomic experiences.

Initially, Torii would draw his inspiration from Scotch whisky, but then he realised that Japanese whisky had to be unique, so he chose a totally different climate to Scotland, choosing the Yamazaki region, just outside Kyoto, the birthplace of Japanese whisky.

Shinjiro was born right in the Meiji era, when Japan was opening up to Western culture and civilisation. He finished school at the age of 13 and decided to train in Osaka with a wholesaler of pharmacy supplies, who also transported spirits from the West.

It was then that Torii began to learn about blending techniques and activities in the West. This enabled him in the future to develop a great palate and refined sense of smell. It was then that he finally mastered blending and fusion.

In 1899, Shinjiro Torii became independent, renting a humble house where he was inspired to dream of his legacy. Soon after, he founded a shop in Osaka and launched "Akadama", a very successful sweet wine.

Torii would not be satisfied until he created the first whisky distillery in Japan and invested his entire family fortune, despite having to row against the tide.

Finally, thanks to his characteristic struggle and persistence, he succeeded in launching the first Japanese whisky, but it was not very successful and failed.

But far from giving up, Torii researched and learned about the exquisite palate of the Japanese, and this would be the key to success, and as it could not be otherwise, he finally launched his Suntori Kakubin, which would achieve great success and become the best-selling whisky in the country.

Since then, the distillery has won major awards, including best distillery awards from the International Spirits Challenge (ISC), San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SWSC) and International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).