Suntory Japan Announces Price Increase

Suntory has announced that it will raise the price of 117 unique products, including its flagship whiskies 'Hibiki' and 'Yamazaki' lines. The price increase is scheduled for April 1st, and Japanese whisky enthusiasts are expected to pay as much as 100% more than what they currently pay globally.

The whisky shortage has been ongoing for nearly a decade, with demand far outpacing supply as whisky fans compete to get their hands on a bottle of Japanese whisky.

Of course, it all started in 2003 when Yamazaki 12-year-old became the first Japanese whisky to win an international spirits award, sparking a whisky boom. Millions of people started buying Japanese whisky, and production, primarily centered around Suntory and Nikka at the time, couldn't keep up.

This has led to rising prices, scarcity, and the rapid growth of a secondary market.

Production would need to increase exponentially to meet demand, but it's not an easy feat. This is especially true considering the maturation period for the most popular products, such as the coveted Yamazaki 18-year-old.

As the popularity of Japanese whisky has grown, more and more distilleries have sprung up across Japan. In fact, there are now over 90 distilleries in operation, compared to less than 10 just a decade ago.

For the Japanese whisky industry, this is a sign of continued growth, and it appears that the trend will continue.