Three Times Awarded the ISC “Distiller of the Year.”

From the Pioneer and Founding Family of Japanese Whisky.

*2010, 2012 and 2013 “Distiller of the Year,”

with nine 2013 “Gold” medals and a 2013 “Trophy” for Hibiki 21 Year Old.

The 2013 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, July 16 in London. Suntory Liquors Limited was awarded “Distiller of the Year,” an annual honor bestowed upon the industry’s best distiller who consistently produces a variety of high-quality products. This distinction coincided with being presented the “Trophy,” the highest award in the World Whiskies category, for Suntory Liquors’ Hibiki 21 Years Old blended whisky.

Suntory Liquors Limited was honored with the “Distiller of the Year” award for the third time, having also received it in 2010 and 2012. As the company enters its 90^th year, Suntory views this prize as a significant testament to the high quality and craftsmanship of their whiskies. The judges offered high praise for the whisky, stating “Suntory is a force to be reckoned with and is really pushing the Japanese whisky category to an international level.” This is a great achievement for the House of Suntory Whisky, a family-owned House of Whisky, where a tradition of uncompromising artisanship has been handed down from father to son since 1923.

This is the first time for Hibiki 21 Years Old to be honored the top spot in the World Whiskies category by receiving the “Trophy”. There were 400 whiskies entered in this year’s competition. The judges recognized that Hibiki 21 Years Old has a rich, full aroma with plenty of oak and soft fruit flavors, a good balance and texture, and a long rich finish — noting its unblended malt and grain whiskies, the varied and distinguished range of those unblended whiskies, and the strength of its blending techniques.

●About the International Spirits Challenge

The International Spirits Challenge is a competition held every year in the UK. Entries are divided into categories such as “Whisky” or “Liquors,” and gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each of those categories. There is also one ultimate award, the “Trophy,” given to one of the gold medal winners chosen as the best of the best in its category. The “Distiller of the Year” award is given each year to one maker of a diverse range of high-quality products.

The winners in the “Whiskies” category are chosen unanimously by a panel of nine judges, including blenders from whisky distilleries from around the world, and each year these awards garner the attention of the worldwide liquor industry.

The Award-Winning Whisky

●Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 21 Years Old

This whisky is a blend of painstakingly selected ripe grain malts aged with the key Yamazaki sherry cask malt, and is vatted with other carefully chosen mellow unblended grain malts over 21 years. Hibiki 21 Years Old has aromas of sweet dried fruit and a spicy flavor, and is characterized by a solemn, refined richness and profound, lingering echoes.

▼Name of Competition

International Spirits Challenge 2013

▼Prizes and Winners:

Trophy: Suntory Whisky Hibiki 21 Years Old

Distiller of the Year: Suntory Liquors Limited

▼Awards Ceremony:

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

At Honourable Artillery Company, London, U.K.