Japanese Whisky’s Founding House, Santory, is celebrating its 100th anniversary of whisky with the release of a Suntory Anniversary Tribute as imagined by Academy Award-winning Director Sofia Coppola and starring Actor Keanu Reeves.
Returning to Japan twenty years after filming Lost in Translation, Coppola brings her artistic genius and admiration for Suntory Whisky to life as the creative director of The Tribute, which honours Suntory’s illustrious past, present and future.
Exploring the remarkable story of the brand’s heritage and whisky-making legacy over the last 100 years, The Suntory Anniversary Tribute features actor Keanu Reeves, a fellow lover of Suntory Whisky.
The film, which debuted early this week in New York, can now be viewed on the House of Suntory website here.
“As the pioneer of Japanese whisky, the House of Suntory played a significant role in shaping culture and leading craftsmanship in Japan over the last century,” said Jon Potter, Managing Director of the House of Suntory.
“To mark this historic milestone, partnering with Sofia and Keanu, who are Suntory Whisky fans, makes perfect sense. From our Fifth Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo’s striking blends to Sofia and Keanu’s unique cinematic creations, this commemoration has surpassed all expectations to celebrate our iconic Japanese whiskies.”
the House of Suntory played a significant role in shaping culture and leading craftsmanship in Japan over the last century
Later this summer, Reeves will star in another creative project in partnership with the House of Suntory: a series of documentary shorts from filmmaker Roman Coppola titled: “The Nature and Spirit of Japan.”
The series explores Japanese whisky culture inspired by harmony with nature (Wa), elevated by Japanese craftsmanship (Monozukuri) and enjoyed as an authentic Japanese cultural experience (Omotenashi). The docuseries will strike a balance between education and entertainment, aiming to foster a deeper exploration of the House of Suntory and Japanese culture overall.
“I’m honoured to partner with Suntory Whisky again thirty years after our Suntory Reserve campaign,” said Keanu Reeves. “I’m a huge fan of Suntory Whisky, so it’s very special to collaborate in honour of this milestone anniversary.
“My admiration for the whisky goes beyond tasting the whisky. It is the elevated Japanese craftsmanship and attention to every detail that makes Suntory Whisky so special. As an actor honing and perfecting my own craft, sharing this process in a docuseries is a thrill.”
In honour of the centennial, the House of Suntory is releasing several limited-edition whiskies that highlight the unique Japanese craftsmanship at Suntory’s whisky distilleries and their meticulous art of blending, including Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt whiskies. Limited 100th-anniversary labels of the flagship Yamazaki 12-Year-Old and Hakushu 12-Year-Old will also be released for the centennial.
“Hakushu and Yamazaki whiskies are gifts from our past handed down by generations,” said Fifth Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo. “It is fitting to release limited editions as part of this incredible milestone, as they represent our relentless pursuit of quality and symbolize our promise to carry our philosophy on for the next one hundred years and beyond.”
It is the elevated Japanese craftsmanship and attention to every detail that makes Suntory Whisky so special.
The centennial of the House of Suntory began with the establishment of its Yamazaki Distillery in 1923 —the first and oldest malt whisky distillery in Japan’s history. The House of Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii’s 100-year legacy began with a dream to “create an original Japanese whisky blessed with the riches of Japanese nature and craftsmanship,” which his grandson Shingo Torii carries forth today at Yamazaki and its distilleries across the country.
Since its founding, the House of Suntory has been crafting world-class spirits and is known for Yamazaki, Hakushu, Chita, Kakubin, Hibiki, Suntory Whisky Toki and Ao, as well as Roku Gin and Haku Vodka.
This landmark anniversary is a significant milestone for the House of Suntory and for its home country of Japan. As a first step toward its promising future, the House of Suntory is investing 10 billion JPY ($77 million USD) to enhance its Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries which are currently closed for renovation and scheduled to reopen this fall.
The brand will also be launching a new global membership program, where members will be among the first to hear about the House of Suntory new releases, receive priority consideration for invitations to consumer experiences (limited to key cities), learn news from the distilleries, gain early access to content and more.
The House of Suntory membership program aims to bring Japanese whisky enthusiasts together around the world and provide a cultural journey through Japan. To sign up, please visit us online here.
For more information about the House of Suntory, please visit us online here.