The House of Suntory, founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1899 in Osaka, began as a wine import business. In 1907, it launched Akadama Port Wine, which marked its first major product. By 1923, Suntory had established Japan’s first malt whisky distillery, Yamazaki, near Kyoto. During WWII, product development paused, but Suntory re-released Torys Whisky in 1946, which thrived in post-war Japan. In 1963, Kotobukiya was renamed Suntory, inspired by "sun" and Torii’s anglicised name. Suntory notably employed American celebrities like Sammy Davis Jr. for marketing in the 1970s and collaborated with Akira Kurosawa for commercials.
Suntory expanded into beer in 1963 with the Musashino Beer Factory and engaged the Carpenters to advertise new soft drinks. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023, Sofia Coppola directed a tribute video featuring Keanu Reeves, blending scenes from her film Lost in Translation with historical footage. Suntory restructured into a stockholding company in 2009, forming Suntory Holdings Limited. After acquiring Beam Inc. in 2014 for $16 billion, it became the world's third-largest spirits maker, later rebranding as Suntory Global Spirits in 2024.
The company's portfolio includes premium brands like Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Toki, and Chita. It has diversified into craft spirits with products like Haku Vodka and Roku Gin and owns several other international brands such as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Bowmore, and Laphroaig. Suntory is a leader in the bourbon and Japanese whisky markets, remaining a family-controlled entity and significantly contributing to global whisky appreciation.