The House of Suntory’s Yamazaki 18 Years Old Awarded Supreme Champion Spirit Title at International Spirits Challenge 2025
The House of Suntory’s Yamazaki 18 Years Old Awarded Supreme Champion Spirit Title at International Spirits Challenge 2025
Marks Yamazaki’s third consecutive year earning the competition’s highest honor
NEW YORK– September 26, 2025 –Suntory Global Spirits is proud to announce that The House of Suntory’s Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old has been named Supreme Champion Spirit at the prestigious International Spirits Challenge 2025, held in London on Thursday, September 25th. Following the recognition of Yamazaki 25 Years Old in 2023 and Yamazaki 12 Years Old in 2024, this achievement marks the third consecutive year Yamazaki has earned the competition’s highest honor across all spirit categories, making it the first time in International Spirits Challenge history that the same brand has been awarded the Supreme Champion Spirit title three years in a row.
Suntory’s Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo (left), and President of The House of Suntory, Masaki “Mory” Morimoto (right), accepting the Supreme Champion Spirit at the International Spirits Challenge 2025 on the evening of September 25th in London
With a pioneering spirit that redefines single malt whisky, this achievement reinforces Yamazaki’s place among the world’s premier spirits and highlights Suntory Global Spirits’ leadership in exceptional whisky. Suntory also earned recognition as Producer of the Year in the Japanese Whisky category for the sixth consecutive year. This recognition further affirms The House of Suntory’s dedication to the Japanese Whisky standards set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association.
“Winning the Supreme Champion Spirit title for the third year in a row is a tremendous honor and it embodies our commitment to kaizen—continuous improvement and dedication to craftsmanship,” said Masaki “Mory” Morimoto, President of The House of Suntory. “This recognition is a testament to the pioneering spirit and exceptional craftsmanship of Yamazaki. We are proud to share our authentic Japanese Whisky with the world and are deeply grateful for this recognition on the international stage. Our journey does not end here; we remain committed to educating and inspiring consumers about what truly defines Japanese Whisky.”
The International Spirits Challenge is one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions, judged by a panel of world-renowned experts who assess spirits for quality, balance, and character. Last year, Suntory’s Chief Blender, Shinji Fukuyo, was named Master Blender of the Year for the first time, a testament to the craftsmanship behind each Suntory Whisky.
The International Spirits Challenge 2025 judging panel praised Yamazaki 18 Years Old as “an absolutely superb whisky within its category,” highlighting its exceptional smoothness paired with remarkable intensity of flavor. Judges noted it as “wonderfully well-aged, perfectly rounded, and just a lovely thing to drink, a really lovely whisky.” They added, “We taste over 1,000 whiskies, so it’s a big job to find our category winners and our Supreme Champion. They’re all judged blind, of course, but Yamazaki 18 Years Old stood out.”
Suntory received the following awards at the International Spirits Challenge 2025:
Trophy
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old
● Suntory Blended Japanese Whisky 2025 Collaboration with Imaemon XIV
● The Japanese Craft Gin ROKU 47%
Double Gold
● Suntory Whisky Hibiki 30 Years Old
● The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old
Gold
● Suntory Whisky Hibiki 21 Years Old
● Suntory Whisky Hibiki Japanese Harmony
● Suntory Whisky Hibiki Japanese Harmony Master’s Select
● Suntory Whisky Hibiki Suntory Whisky 100 Years Anniversary Blend
● Suntory Whisky Kakubin
● Suntory Whisky Royal
● Suntory Whisky Special Reserve
● Suntory World Whisky AO
● The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 12 Years Old
● The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky 18 Years Old
● The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Japanese Forest Bittersweet Edition
● The Hakushu Single Malt Whisky Peated Malt Spanish Oak 18 Years Old
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask 18 Years Old
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky Mizunara Japanese Oak Cask 25 Years Old
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 12 Years Old
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky 25 Years Old
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Japan Edition
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Peated Malt Spanish Oak
● The Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky Story of the Distillery 2025
● KANÁDE Yuzu
● The Japanese Craft Gin ROKU Osaka Brilliance Edition
These awards underscore Suntory’s continued excellence across its portfolio and its leadership in elevating Japanese Whisky on the global stage.
For more information on Yamazaki and Suntory’s award-winning brands, please visit www.house.suntory.com.
About Suntory Global Spirits
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker's Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196™ (minus one-nine-six) and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.
A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com and www.drinksmart.com.
About The House of Suntory
Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as the founding house of Japanese Whisky. Founder Shinjiro Torii built Japan's first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii's son and Suntory's second Master Blender, Keizo Saji, who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu Distillery.
As the generations of Suntory's master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory is proud to confirm that all exported Suntory Japanese Whisky products are 100% distilled, matured, and bottled in Japan and compliant with the new production and labelling standards set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association (JSLMA). The House of Suntory has been named Distiller of the Year four times at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), with Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo being named Master Blender of the Year for the first time ever and Yamazaki 12 Year Old being recognized as the Supreme Champion Spirit in 2024. Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined, and complex. The portfolio includes Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Chita®, Kakubin®, Hibiki®, Suntory Whisky Toki™ and Ao®. The House of Suntory portfolio also offers Roku™ Japanese Gin and Haku™ Japanese Vodka. Created from Japanese ingredients by the master artisans at The House of Suntory, Roku™ Gin and Haku™ Vodka represent the nature and spirit of Japan. In 2023, Suntory Whisky celebrated one hundred years of whisky innovation—a major milestone not only for the brand's history, but for Japanese spirits culture as a whole. To mark this anniversary, The House of Suntory rolled out its centennial campaign throughout 2023.
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