The best luxe spirits seem to travel on their own path, from barrel to bottle, to bar cart. This is particularly true of World Whisky Ao, the latest, ambitious endeavour by the House of Suntory.
Suntory World Whisky Ao combines whisky from five Suntory distilleries in world-class whisky-producing countries including Scotland, Ireland, Japan, Canada, and the United States. The appropriately named product comes from the Japanese word for blue, and it is named after the blue oceans connecting the countries.
Suntory initially released the global, company-encompassing hybrid back in 2021, which built upon Jim Beam’s first two hybrids, Kentucky Dram and the limited edition series Little Book. However, the launch was previously only available in Japan and global travel retail shops, which is why their announcement is such a big deal.
Suntory has been doing collaborations like this for a while now (2019’s Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a must-try), and now they’ve brought the whole of their booze-making empire into play — Japan’s Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries; Scotland’s Ardmore and Glen Garioch Distilleries; the United States’ Jim Beam Clermont Distillery, Ireland’s Cooley Distillery, and Alberta Distillery in Canada — and handed them over to the capable hands of fifth-generation Suntory Master Blender Shinji Fukuyo.
Fukuyo says that ‘Ao is an exceptional whisky which, through the art of Suntory blending,’ and notably ‘allows you to enjoy the unique characteristics of each of the five major whisky-making regions.’
The five-sided bottle design represents the world’s five most prominent whisky-producing countries. Tansetsu Ogino’s calligraphic lettering graces the label, which sits on the ‘front corner,’ which celebrates Japanese craftsmanship and an unconventional encounter. ‘A new message for a new era,’ says Suntory.
With all this said, Suntory World Whisky Ao is bottled at 45% ABV, and available for an absolute steal: it can be yours for a suggested retail price of $55. With five different spirits from all over the world combined into one posh bottle, the price sounds like a good deal for a literal voyage through the world of whisky.
Are you a whisky drinker? What do you think of the Suntory World Whisky Ao release? Let us know in the comments, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
