Suntory: due to its popularity whisky sale was partly suspended, there was insufficient unblended malt

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

ウイスキー人気で原酒不足 一部販売休止に サントリー

5月15日 14時49分

国産ウイスキーの人気が予想以上に高まり、作るのに長い時間がかかる原酒が不足しているとして、大手メーカーのサントリーは、一部の商品の販売を休止することになりました。

サントリーホールディングスによりますと、販売が休止されるのは国産ウイスキーのうち、白州１２年と響１７年の２種類です。

早ければ来月からことし９月ごろにかけて在庫がなくなり、そのまま販売が休止される見通しです。

ウイスキーは、国産の銘柄が世界的な賞を獲得したことや、サントリーなどの主要メーカーが炭酸水で割るハイボールの販売に力を入れたことでブームとなり、国内の出荷量はこの１０年で２倍以上に増えています。

今回、休止となる商品は原酒の熟成期間が少なくとも１２年ないし１７年必要になりますが、その当時はブームになる前で原酒の生産量が少なく、特に不足しているということです。

サントリーはここ数年の需要の増加に対応し、原酒をつくる蒸留釜を増設するなどして生産量を増やしてきましたが、それでも需要を賄いきれなくなった形です。

サントリーでは「販売の再開には需要に見合った量の原酒を確保しなければならないが、現時点では見通しはたっていない」と話しています。

Translation

The popularity of domestic whiskey was higher than expected; as the unblended malt whisky took a long time to make and there was insufficient stock, Suntory as a major maker suspended its sale of certain goods.

According to Suntory Holdings among the domestic whiskey 2 kinds of sale were being suspended, they were Hakushu 12 and Kyou 17.  

As early as from next month to around September this year stock would run out, and in this way the sale would be suspended.

Whiskey sale became a boom as the domestic brands had won worldwide prize; also it was put on sale by key manufacturers such as Suntory that emphasized the making of highball by mixing whisky with carbonated water. The domestic total shipment had increased more than 2 times in 10 years.

It was said that the goods suspended this time needed a ripening period of at least 12 to 17 years ahead; at that time it was before the boom of and there was little production of the unblended malt whisky, it meant that it was particularly inadequate.

Suntory, in response to the increases in demand in the past few years, had added the distillation iron pots that made the unblended malt whisky and the production was being increased, but still it was in a situation that demand could not be fully met.

Suntory was saying that “for sales resumption, I have to ensure that the amount of unblended malt whisky could meet the demand; but there is no such a prospect at present."

     It seems that in Japan the Japanese whisky is more popular then the Scottish whisky.