Today we present a special Picture Gallery that captures the extraordinarily atmospheric setting of The House of Suntory 100th Anniversary Event held at the Londoner in Leicester Square, London on 1 June.
As reported, the event – themed ‘Suntory Time’ – was attended by 100 guests worldwide, with The Moodie Davitt Report honoured to represent the travel retail community.
The House of Suntory described its 100th anniversary as a major milestone not only for Suntory’s history but for Japanese spirits culture.
Special guests included Academy Award-winning director Sofia Coppola and actor Keanu Reeves. Twenty years after filming the acclaimed Lost in Translation, Coppola returned to Japan to create the Suntory Anniversary Tribute – telling the story of the brand’s heritage and whisky-making legacy over the last 100 years, depicting the meaning of “Suntory Time”.
The Tribute, featuring Reeves, a lover of Suntory Whisky who previously appeared in a Suntory Reserve ad campaign in 1992 can be viewed on the House of Suntory website here.
The evening saw The Londoner transformed into an immersive experience illustrating 100 years of the founding house of Japanese Whisky including a specially created Tokyo bar and Japanese Garden installation, a curated set from DJ MAJ (also known as My Analog Journal), pictured below) and a five-course tasting menu with complementary House of Suntory serves.
Guests then moved on to Sexy Fish bar and restaurant for an afterparty.
Later this summer, Reeves will star in a series of documentary shorts titled ‘The Nature and Spirit of Japan’, directed by Roman Coppola. The series explores Japanese whisky culture inspired by harmony with nature (Wa), elevated by Japanese craftsmanship (Monozukuri) and enjoyed as an authentic Japanese cultural experience (Omotenashi).
The docuseries will strike a balance between education and entertainment, aiming to foster a deeper exploration of the House of Suntory and Japanese culture overall.
“I’m honoured to partner with Suntory Whisky again 30 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 honour 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.”
“As the pioneer of Japanese whisky, the House of Suntory played a significant role in shaping culture and leading craftsmanship in Japan over the last century,” said House of Suntory Managing Director Jon Potter.
“To mark this historic milestone, partnering with Sofia and Keanu, who are Suntory Whisky fans, makes perfect sense. From our fifth-generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo’s striking blends to Sofia and Keanu’s unique cinematic creations, this commemoration has surpassed all expectations to celebrate our iconic Japanese whiskies.”
In honour of the centennial, the House of Suntory is releasing several limited-edition whiskies that highlight the unique Japanese craftsmanship at Suntory’s whisky distilleries.
These include Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt whiskies. Limited 100th anniversary labels of the flagship Yamazaki 12 Year Old and Hakushu 12 Year Old are also being released for the centennial.
Beam Suntory is also celebrating The House of Suntory’s centenary with the release of several limited-edition expressions.
These include Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt whiskies, as well as 100th anniversary labels of the flagship Yamazaki 12 Year Old and Hakushu 12 Year Old.
These will be available at selected travel retail locations from mid-June, supported by a series of immersive pop-up activations and advertising campaigns. The debut activation will take place at Singapore Changi Airport T1 in partnership with Lotte Duty Free.
The installation will run from 15 June to 25 July, and will offer tastings, interactive digital activities and exclusive anniversary gifts for visitors.
The anniversary whiskies will also be available through retail partners at Shanghai Pudong Airport, Dubai International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Heathrow Airport.
Activations at these locations will be introduced from July onwards. ✈
