The House of Suntory celebrates its 100th anniversary in collaboration with Keanu Reaves and Sofia Coppola
Videos and special whisky editions take centre stage at the proud celebrations
The House of Suntory can proudly look back on 100 years of history. Today, it is impossible to imagine the whisky scene without Japanese whisky and it has been one of the major international brands not only since the merger of Suntory with Beam to form Beam Suntory.
What began in 1923 with the founding of the Yamazaki Distillery by Shinjiro Torii has culminated in a spirits empire that today includes, in addition to Yamazaki , Hakushu, Hibiki or Chita Whisky, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka.
To mark the anniversary, The House of Suntory had a video clip produced under the direction of renowned director Sofia Coppola. In the short film "Suntory Anniversary Tribute", Coppola shines a light on the past, present and future of the Japanese company and pays tribute to its legacy. As an actor, Suntory has engaged Hollywood star Keanu Reaves, who was once involved in a Suntory advertising campaign 30 years ago.
The video can be watched here on the Suntory website.
Keanu Reaves is a fan of Suntory Whisky
For the summer, Suntory has announced a series of documentaries by filmmaker Roman Coppola featuring Keanu Reaves that will focus on Japanese whisky culture.
"I'm honored 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 honor 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."
Special bottlings of Yamazaki 18 Years Old and Hakushu 18 Years Old
In addition to the cinematic highlights, there will also be some special whisky editions to mark the Suntory anniversary. The press release promises limited editions of the Yamazaki 18 Years Old Mizunara and the Hakushu 18 Years Old Peated Malt as well as special anniversary labels for the Yamazaki 12 Years Old and Hakushu 12 Years Old.
In order to not only celebrate the past 100 years, but also to make the company fit for the future, The House of Suntory is currently investing around 77 million US dollars in the renovation of its Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries. They are scheduled to reopen in autumn 2023, still in the anniversary year.
Image: Beam Suntory via PR Newswire
