30.09.2011 - Vinexpo news selection
After many years of decline, Japanese whisky is now recovering. The improvement began in 2009, when the category climbed by 11.3% - the first in many years. Last year, the recovery continued with volumes rising by a very strong 20.8% to reach 8.89m nine-litre cases.
Suntory marketing director Kazuyuki Takayama says: “In recent years, the `highball‘(whisky with soda) has become very popular in Japan. This has become an opportunity for young people and women – consumers who had not had so much experience in drinking whisky- to enjoy whisky during their meals. We believe this is the biggest factor why the demand for whisky has grown in recent years”. (The IWSR – June 2011)