Japanese spirits have come a long way over the last few years. Whether it's craft gin or a coveted bottle of whisky, there are more options and variety available now more than ever. While the skyrocketing demand for Japanese whisky has led to a short supply of several aged single malt varieties and steep price hikes, it seems like alcohol in general will see another price increase in spring next year.
Suntory Spirits has recently announced that it will be revising the prices of its domestic premium whisky products starting with shipments going out on April 1. Suntory stated that the reason for the price increase is to help improve the product quality and upgrade its production facilities. Although we do think that inflation has a huge role to play in this as well.
A total of 117 alcoholic beverages will be affected by this price hike, with some labels going up by more than two times their current prices. To give you an idea of the new prices, three of Suntory’s top-shelf whiskies – Hibiki 30 Years, Yamazaki 25 Years and Hakushu 25 Years – will go from ¥160,000 to an eye-watering ¥360,000.
Maybe it’s time to grab a bottle now as a present for yourself.
This article was originally published on November 27 2023 and updated on January 26 2024.
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