No.9381   2006. 3

Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Receives
the Visitor Centre of the Year Award at Icons of Whisky
Held by the British Whisky Specialty Journal “Whisky Magazine”
- Whisky Pavilion and Warm Hospitality Extended to Visitors Were Highly Praised -

The Yamazaki Distillery (Executive General Manager: Hiroyoshi Miyamoto) of Suntory Limited received the Visitor Centre of the Year Award at Icons of Whisky 2006, held by the British whisky specialty journal, Whisky Magazine, on March 2, 2006. This is the first time that a Japanese corporation has been selected at “Icons of Whisky.”

Suntory Limited received this year's Visitor Centre of the Year Award because of the high praise garnered by Yamazaki Distillery's ongoing whisky popularization activities aimed at customers, which include exhibitions on the history of Japanese whisky, exhibitions of more than 7,000 types of whiskies and spirits of the world, and also distillery tours, seminars and elaborate events that allow the process of whisky-making to be readily understood. All of these activities take place at the Whisky Pavilion on the premises of the Yamazaki Distillery. Concerning these activities, whisky writer Dave Broom commented, “I was impressed by the sight of young visitors being treated politely by the attendants when I visited the Yamazaki Distillery.”
A record number of people-133,000-visited the Yamazaki Distillery last year, the second year in a row that such a record was set. We would like to further enhance our activities so that we can have as many customers as possible visit the distillery in the hope that they will become whisky fans.

• Concerning Icons of Whisky 2006
This is an event held each year by the British whisky specialty journal, Whisky Magazine. It is an occasion for giving awards to persons and/or corporations who are recognized as having made great contributions to the whisky industry. There are nine divisions under which awards are given. Some 200 persons who are involved in the whisky industry worldwide (producers, distributors, sales companies and journalists) select the top three candidates from a list of final candidates (between five and eight companies) that have been carefully selected by the Editing Department, and each award is determined according to the total number of points acquired. The Visitor Centre of the Year Award that we received was determined on the basis of an overall examination of the facilities at the distillery, the atmosphere of the distillery, the knowledge possessed by the staff, and the acceptance of visitors, including hospitality.
We acquired the highest number of points among the final six candidate distilleries, and thus received the award.

• Name
Icons of Whisky 2006

• Award Name
Visitor Centre of the Year

• Award Winner
Yamazaki Distillery of Suntory Limited
(5-2-1, Shimamoto-cho, Mishima-gun, Osaka, Japan)

• Awards Ceremony
* Date: March 2, 2006 (Thursday)
* Place: London, U.K

Yamazaki Distillery's Web site
http://www.suntory.co.jp/whisky/distillery/yamazaki/
* In Japanese only