［Food & Beverages domain］
Whisky Expansion: Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji Launch In China And Australia In April, Two More Whiskies To Go On Sale In Japan
- Products and Services
March 17, 2022
Kirin Brewery Company, Limited
●Expansion of the globally-acclaimed Fuji brand overseas, following the United States last August
●Work to achieve 50% sales of the Fuji brand from overseas
●Debut of Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji and debut of Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - 2022 Masterpiece - in Japan
TOKYO, Thursday March 17, 2022 – Kirin Brewery Company, Limited (Kirin Brewery) will begin sales of Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji in China and Australia in April. In addition, Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - a blend of malt and grain whiskies, whose whiskies are all from a single distillery - will be available year-round from June 7. Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - 2022 Masterpiece – has been sold at the Mt. Fuji Distillery only since March 1, but will be available in limited quantities through the Kirin Brewery’s own DRINX online store from April 19.
About Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji and 50% overseas sales goal (2025)
Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji is made exclusively from the grain whiskey of the world-renowned Mt. Fuji Distillery, and combines three different types of grain whiskey, each with its unique flavor characteristics. The taste is highly acclaimed around the world, and sales volume in 2021 has been growing significantly both in Japan with an approximate 3.5-fold increase and overseas markets with ad approximate 20 times increase.
In order to convey the appeal of Japanese whisky to more customers, Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji will go on sale in China and Australia in April, aiming to increase the overseas sales ratio of the Fuji brand to 50% by 2025.
Popularity of Japanese Whiskies
In Japan, Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji and Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - 2022 Masterpiece - will be launched from the Fuji brand. The so-called “Western-style” (Whiskies and Spirits category). Alcohol category in the Japanese domestic market is growing - centered on whisky - with domestic super-premium whisky (priced at over 3,000 yen) growing in particular. Japanese whisky is attracting a great deal of attention from whisky fans in Japan and abroad, as the definition of "Japanese whisky" was clarified in 2021.
Behind Kirin Brewery and Whisky
The history of Kirin Brewery's domestic whisky business began in 1972 with the establishment of Kirin-Seagram Limited, and since then the company has developed and released products that expand the possibilities of whisky. Mt. Fuji Distillery - which started operations in 1973 - is one of the few distilleries in the world that can produce both malt and grain whisky and has the know-how to cover four of the world's five major whiskies*.
*Scotch whisky, American whisky, Canadian whisky and Japanese whisky. The “five major world whiskies” are Scotch whisky, American whisky, Canadian whisky, Japanese whisky, and Irish whisky.
Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji
This whiskey is made exclusively from the globally-acclaimed Mt. Fuji Distillery's grain whiskies, and is characterized by its fruity, hints of white grape and orange zest.
Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji
This is a rare and new style of product in the world from Mt. Fuji Distillery which produces malt and grain in the same distillery. All of the whiskies are made using the same snowmelt water, by the same people, nurtured by the same natural environment, and by the same expert blending technique. This is a whiskey that pursued the harmony of a variety of flavors, "beautiful even to the taste," which is the result of expert blending techniques.
Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - 2022 Masterpiece -
It is a quintessential blend that embodies the characteristics of Mt. Fuji Distillery, using some rare, precious, and long-aged whiskies. It has a multi-layered flavor with ripe fruit aroma, custard richness, floral, spicy, and other colorful aromas.
Product Details
| 1. Product name | Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji |
|---|---|
| 2. Product launch date | April 2022 |
| 3. Sales area | China, Australia |
| 4. Volume/container | 700 ml / bottle |
| 5. Alcohol content | 46% |
| 6. Distilled at | Mt. Fuji Distillery |
| 7. Retail price | China: around 680 RMB Australia: around 149 AUD |
| 8. Estimated sales volume(2022) | China: approx. 470 cases *9L equivalent Australia: approx. 750 cases* 9L equivalent |
| 1. Product name | Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji |
|---|---|
| 2. Product launch date | June 7 |
| 3. Sold at | Restaurants and merchandisers throughout Japan Kirin Online Shop DRINX (https://drinx.kirin.co.jp/) |
| 4. Volume/container | 700 ml / bottle |
| 5. Alcohol content | 43% |
| 6. Distilled at | Mt. Fuji Distillery |
| 7. Retail price | 6,000 JPY (excluding tax) *DRINX price |
| 8. Estimated sales volume(2022) | 4,700 boxes *9L equivalent |
| 1. Product name | Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji - 2022 Masterpiece - |
|---|---|
| 2. Product launch date | March 1 |
| 3. Sold at | Mt. Fuji Distillery and DRINX online store (https://drinx.kirin.co.jp/) in Japan only *Sales at DRINX will begin on April 19. |
| 4. Volume/container | 700 ml / bottle |
| 5. Alcohol content | 50% |
| 6. Distilled at | Mt. Fuji Distillery |
| 7. Retail price | 49,800 JPY (excluding tax) |
| 8. Estimated sales volume(2022) | approximate 1,000 bottles *limited |
About Kirin Holdings
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.
Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.
Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV* creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.
*: Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.