Suntory

Suntory grew out of a business that Shinjiro Torii started in Osaka in 1899. In 1923 he began building the Yamazaki distillery near Kyoto, the first malt whisky distillery in Japan, and Suntory has been central to Japanese whisky ever since. The Hakushu distillery in the forests of Yamanashi followed in 1973, and grain whisky comes from the Chita distillery.

The Suntory name appears mostly on blends that combine malt from Yamazaki and Hakushu with Chita grain whisky. Kakubin, in its square, tortoiseshell-patterned bottle, dates from 1937 and is one of the most widely drunk whiskies in Japan, often served in a highball. Royal, Special Reserve and Suntory Red are long-running blends. Older bottlings such as the 1980s Kakubin and the 12 Year Old Pure Malt now turn up at auction and with collectors.

AO is a newer world blend that brings together whiskies from Suntory's distilleries in several countries. The Tsukuriwake Cask Collection releases show Yamazaki and Hakushu malts from different cask types, offered as limited sets.

For buyers, Suntory blends are generally easy to find and affordable, while limited releases and older bottles are priced as collectibles.