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No.8781 2004. 5. 19
“Suntory Whisky HIBIKI 30 Years” Wins Trophy
for highest prize at International liquor Competition, England
Suntory Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, President: Nobutada Saji) has made great accomplishments with “Suntory Whisky HIBIKI 30 Years” which, for the first time as a Japanese whisky, won the “Trophy” for the highest prize at the 9th International Spirits Challenge 2004 (ISC). ISC is an international liquor competition held in England, which is home of Scotch whisky.
“International Spirits Challenge” is annually hosted by “Quest Magazines & Events,” an English publisher specialized in alcohol. It is an authoritative competition, where top-class alcohol makers of countries contribute, attracting the attention of concerned persons in the industry around the world. Consisting of categories of whiskies, brandies, rum, white spirits, and liqueurs, the competition received the submissions of almost 600 items from about 30 counties.
For the category of whiskies, all submitted whiskies underwent sensory evaluations by 10 master blenders, chief blenders and master distillers from whisky distilleries in the world, including Scotland. They decide awards through the council system of the examiners’ unanimous votes. Since the submitted whiskies are strictly examined for their quality by the professional whisky makers with their gustatory and olfactory senses of prominence, the examination’s result receives great attentions every year.
About 300 items of whiskies were submitted to this competition. Awards were decided upon the assessment and evaluation for taste and aroma at brand tasting of 5 days. As a result, “HIBIKI 30 Years” received the appraisal for “being the masterpiece of whisky”. It won the “Trophy”, which goes beyond the categories and is the competition’s highest prize.
“Suntory Whisky HIBIKI 30 Years” is the highest peak of Suntory’s whisky. The extremity of maturity has been carefully blended after strictly selecting pure malt whisky, which had been matured for the super long-term of over 30 alcoholic years at Yamazaki Distillery, and after examining grain pure whisky of over 30 alcoholic years.
Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory, started to establish the Yamazaki Distillery in 1923 with his passion to “want to produce whisky in Japan”. The ambition and dream of Shinjiro as the founding master blender were succeeded by Keizo Saji of the second master blender, and Shingo Torii of the third master blender. The 80 years have passed while the artisans devoted all their energies for making distinguished whisky. The fact that “HIBIKI 30 Years”, which is said to be the crown of this tradition and technique, shines on the honor of “the world’s best whisky” means that the high quality of “Japanese whisky” is acknowledged around the world.
Moreover, “Suntory Whisky HIBIKI 21 Years” is awarded a gold medal at this competition. This is the second back-to-back award, following “Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki 12 Years” which was awarded the gold medal at the 8th competition last year.
Outline of this year’s awards▼ Name of competition
International Spirits Challenge 2004 (ISC)
▼ Venue
London, England
▼ Examination and result’s announcement
Examination: 26 ∼ 30 April 2004
Result’s announcement: at “London International Wine and Spirits Trade Fair” which starts from 18 May 2004
▼ “Trophy” Awarded Whisky (volume, proof, suggested retail price)
“Suntory Whisky HIBIKI 30 Years”
700ml, 43%, 80,000 yen (excluding consumption tax)
* A price above does not bind independent price decisions of retail stores.
* * A number of this product is limited.
• Feature of taste and design
It is filled with gorgeous aroma which is suggestive of sweet scent and flowers. The aroma is sourced from matured malt, starting with Yamazaki Sherry Wood 32 Years Malt. It is smooth to taste, and can be enjoyed for the rich body and deep after-taste. A gorgeous bottle is used with its 30 cut surfaces, symbolizing the passed time of “30 years” in producing the Japanese top-quality whisky.
▽ For further enquiry, please contact:
Suntory Customer Center Toll free number: 0120-139-310
(Osaka) Dojimahama 2-1-40, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-8203, Japan
(Tokyo) Moto-Akasaka 1-2-3, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8430, Japan
Website: http://www.suntory.co.jp/
