No.9306   2005. 11. 29

“Suntory The Owner's Cask” Second Release Goes on Sale
--Customers experience the luxury of owning an entire cask of single malt whisky--

Suntory Limited began offering its second round of casks of malt whisky on November 30. In this offering of “The Owner's Cask,” Suntory has made 150 casks available.

Bottle with a box made from the wood of a cask
(The bottle shown is from a 1979 The Owners Cask stored at Yamazaki Distillery.)

Relatively expensive single malt whiskies have grown in popularity in recent years as consumers have begun to appreciate the unique flavors produced by the distillers of these value-added spirits. In November 2004, Suntory introduced “The Owner's Cask,” a chance to purchase an entire cask of select malt whisky. The first sale of its type in Japan, this event provided customers with a unique luxury--owning their very own cask, filled with a single malt whiskey unlike any other in the world. About half of the casks available sold to individual customers willing to pay a premium price.

This second offering of “The Owner's Cask” makes 150 casks, distilled between 1979 and 1996, available (108 from the Yamazaki Distillery, 42 from the Hakushu Distillery). As in the first offering, cask prices range from between 500,000 yen and 30,000,000 yen. Because many individual customers in the first round sought out single malts at 2,000,000 yen and under, Suntory is offering 91 casks in this price range.