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Suntory’s Hibiki Whiskey Price Planned to Increase by 125％; Demand Higher than Production

Courtesy of Suntory Holdings Ltd.
Hibiki 30 Years Old

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:13 JST, November 22, 2023

Suntory Holdings Ltd. announced on Tuesday that it will raise the prices of 19 domestic premium whiskey products, including Hibiki and Yamazaki, by 20% to 125%, starting with shipments on April 1 next year.

Suntory decided to raise the prices due to shortages, as production has not been able to keep up with increasing demand.

This is the first price increase for Hibiki and some other whiskey products since April 2022. The suggested retail prices of Hibiki 30 Years Old, Yamazaki 25 Years Old and Hakushu 25 Years Old — all 700 milliliters — will increase by 125% from ¥160,000 to ¥360,000 before tax.

The suggested retail price for Yamazaki 12 Years Old and Hakushu 12 Years Old will increase from ¥10,000 to ¥15,000 before tax. Imported whiskey and other products will also see price increases.

The whiskey market had been on a downward trend for some time, but its popularity has been recovering since the highball boom around 2008. Recently, Japan’s domestically produced whiskey has become popular overseas as well.