One of the oldest alcohol distribution companies of Japan, Suntory has decided to enter the Indian spirit industry with their subsidiary arm Beam Suntory. With the new reports stating India to be the largest market for whisky, many new brands are trying to penetrate the market.
To begin their commercial relations with the country, Suntory has launched an India-exclusive whisky brand Oaksmith to compete with rivals like Pernod Ricard’s Blender’s Pride and Diageo’s Signature. The whisky is created by Shinji Fukuyo, the chief blender of the company, using traditional Japanese craftsmanship. It has been designed with respect to the Indian palate, using Scotch Malt Whiskies and American Bourbons to get the right flavour and aroma notes.
The company settled for a wide-country launch, and the whisky will be available at retail outlets across all the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
Another variant of the whisky will be launched by the name of Oaksmith Gold. While Oaksmith is priced at INR 800, Oaksmith Gold will be available for INR 1,300. Suntory has already announced their plans of launching high-end whisky brands – Hibiki and Yamazaki – next. The liquor will be made selectively-available at five-star hotels, bars, pubs and duty free stores initially. The 750 ml bottles will be priced at INR 14,000 and INR 20,000 respectively.
I am going to embrace Suntory with all my enthusiasm. I am already making plans with a colleague to buy a bottle as soon as it’s available at my nearest alcohol outlet. What about you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
