Japanese spirits giant House of Suntory is celebrating 100 years of whisky craftsmanship with a slew of activities taking place all around town.
The House of Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery, founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1923, is credited as being the first official whisky distillery established in Japan.
Chronicling that founding journey and history is The Legacy Continues: 100 Years of Suntory Whisky Innovation exhibit taking place at the ArtScience Museum from 13-17 July.
The main event of Suntory’s centennial celebrations, the experiential event brings the sights, smells, and sounds of Yamazaki Distillery to Singapore, allowing guests to have a sense of the surroundings of the iconic location.
The exhibition also showcases the era when Japanese whiskies boomed, with Suntory advertisements, visuals, and artworks from the 50s-60s on display to bring out the sense of place at the time.
There’s even a private cinema, where a special showing of the Suntory Anniversary Tribute brand manifesto film, directed by award-winning director Sofia Coppola (whose film Lost in Translation propelled Suntory whiskies to international fame), will be shown.
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A preview of mini docuseries The Nature and Spirit of Japan, directed by Sofia’s brother Roman Coppola, will also take place. It takes viewers on a journey exploring the tenets of Japanese whisky making and culture, and famously stars Hollywood superstar Keanu Reeves.
The highlight of the exhibit is a minimalist 30-seater bar where guests can enjoy cocktails and limited-edition Suntory whiskies, all while curated visual projections, playlists, and performances that bring visitors to three distinct Japanese cultural eras take place.
It is one of only a few places where the limited centennial editions of Yamazaki 18 Years Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt will be available for tastings.
Beyond The Legacy Continues: 100 Years of Suntory Whisky Innovation exhibit, the months of August and September will also see a series of dinners taking place with eight celebrated chefs – the likes of Cheung Siu Kong of Summer Pavilion and Yuji Sato of Sushi Sato – in Singapore.
For travellers, a multisensory pop-up is also taking place at Changi Airport Terminal 1 transit. Expect displays showcasing House of Suntory’s history, interactive video elements, tactile and sensory booths, a bespoke gifting and retail area, and of course, a bar counter offering Suntory spirits and cocktails.
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“One hundred years ago, our founder Shinjiro Torii wished to create a whisky blessed with the riches of Japanese nature and craftsmanship when he established the Yamazaki Distillery,” says Jon Potter, managing director for The House of Suntory.
“As we look ahead, we remain committed to creating world-class spirits. We know that what we do today, tomorrow and over the following years is just as important as the last 100 years.”
To stay up to date on House of Suntory’s centennial celebrations, head to houseofsuntory100.com.sg.
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About the Author
Dannon Har is the Managing Editor of Spill. Discovering his innate gift for drinking only at a ripe age, he spares no time trying to find more delicious drops to imbibe during his time on Earth. When he’s not minding every detail at Spill, he spends his time concocting luscious libations and sharing them with folks that visit his home bar.