News
No.12109 July 16, 2014
Tokyo, Japan, and Deerfield, Illinois, July 16, 2014 - Japanese blended whisky Hibiki 21 Years Old and Knob Creek® Single Barrel Reserve, from the whisky portfolio of Beam Suntory Inc., each won a "Trophy" award, the top prize in the whisky categories at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) Awards Dinner 2014 held in London, England on Monday, July 14. These honors are in addition to the 18 Gold Medals earned by Beam Suntory whiskies announced last month by the ISC, one of the world's leading tasting competitions. Meanwhile Japanese rice vodka Ao won a "Trophy" prize in the vodka category.
In addition to those "Trophy" prizes, Suntory Liquors Limited also won the "Distiller of the Year" award, a prestigious honor bestowed upon one distiller that has produced a number of high-quality spirits. This is the third year in a row and the fourth time overall that Suntory Liquors Limited has received the "Distiller of the Year" award.
"These prestigious recognitions for Hibiki and Knob Creek are a reflection of the heritage, quality and expertise of the two great companies that are coming together to create Beam Suntory, which has a bright future as a whisky powerhouse in our industry," said Matt Shattock, chairman and chief executive officer of Beam Suntory.
This recognition of brand quality comes just 11 weeks after the acquisition of Beam Inc. by Suntory Holdings, creating Beam Suntory, the world"s #3 premium spirits company. As previously announced, Beam Suntory intends to integrate the Spirits business of Suntory before the end of this year.
The International Spirits Challenge is an annual spirits tasting competition held in the UK, the home of Scotch whisky. Categories include whiskies, liqueurs and more. In addition to the Gold Medals, Silver Medals and Bronze Medals awarded in each category, excellent products among the Gold Medal winners are given the Trophy, the top prize in the category. The Distiller of the Year award, one of the Special awards that recognize the very best in the blind tasting challenge, is only conferred on one distiller that has produced a number of high-quality products.
In the whisky categories, a panel of 11 judges, including blenders from whisky distilleries around the world, conducts a blind tasting of more than 400 whiskies submitted from around the world to determine the award winners. The results attract global attention from the spirits industry.
International Spirits Challenge 2014
Trophy in Whisky Categories: Suntory whisky Hibiki 21 Years Old, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve
Trophy in Vodka Category: Ao Vodka
Distiller of the Year: Suntory Liquors Limited
From 7 p.m. on Monday, July 14, 2014 *Local time
At the Honourable Artillery Company in London, England
Hibiki 21 Years Old is a meticulously blended combination of carefully selected ripe grain malts and malt whisky aged for a lengthy period of at least 21 years. It is distinguished by a mature aroma, incredibly fruity and reminiscent of sweet flowers, and a smooth, light flavor. This blend allows you to enjoy the strong body, mellow richness and profound, long finish only found in a whisky aged for 21 years.
Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is carefully hand selected, barrel-by-barrel, to bring you a robust, mature flavor. Aged 9 years, this expression possesses the darkest and deepest amber and henna color offering vanilla and caramel notes and a slightly smoky finish - perfect for easy-going sipping.
Ao Vodka is Japanese ultra-premium vodka made with 100% Japanese rice with clean, crisp flavors and subtle rice notes. This premium vodka currently available in New York, U.S.
Suntory Whisky Website: https://www.suntory.com/whisky/
Beam Suntory Website: http://beamsuntory.com/
As the world's third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as world renowned premium brands including Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur. The company generates annual worldwide sales of approximately $4.6 billion excluding excise taxes.
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.
