Asahi Breweries announced that it will raise the prices of some of its products starting with shipments on October 1, 2022.
The products affected include a total of 162 items of beer, RTD (such as shochu high spirits), non-alcoholic beverages, and whisky. “Super Dry” is also subject to the price increase.
Of the 162 products10 whisky items The price of Japanese whiskey will be raised by 162 items.
Japanese whisky products such as “Single Malt Yoichi” and “Single Malt Miyagikyo” are subject to the price increase. Standard-priced products such as “Black Nikka” are not subject to the price increase.
Of the 10 whisky products whose prices are to be raised, 7 products have been confirmed by the manufacturers and are listed below.
2. Whisky products subject to the price increase and the amount of revision
Currently, specific products subject to the price increase are not listed on the official website, but the following is a list of products that we have been able to confirm after making inquiries.
Product name Capacity Suggested retail price (excluding tax) Price revision rate Old New Taketsuru Pure Malt 700ml 4,000 yen 4,500 yen 13% Single Malt Yoichi 700ml 4,200 yen 4,500 yen 7％ Single Malt Miyagikyo 700ml 4,200 yen 4,500 yen 7% The Nikka 700ml 6,000 yen 6,500 yen 8% Super Nikka 700ml 2,500 yen 2,800 yen 12% Super Nikka
500ml 1,830 yen 2,050 yen 12％ From the Barrel 500ml 2,400 yen 2,800 yen 17％ *Prices are for reference only and are not binding on dealers to set their own prices.
2. Inference.
Asahi Breweries announced that it has decided to raise the price of its beer due to the soaring price of crude oil and the rising costs of raw materials, packaging, and logistics, and that it has found it difficult to absorb these costs through corporate efforts alone in order to “provide a stable supply of high-quality, safe, and reliable products. The company announced that it has decided to raise prices in order to strengthen its production system with an eye to the future.
We have tried to deduce what will happen in the period up to and after the revised price on October 1, 2022.
2-1. Temporary shortage
Until October 1, a buyout of the above target whiskies is expected. Especially “Taketsuru Pure Malt” and “From the Barrel” are very popular whiskies and the price increase rate is high, so it is expected to be a battle without a doubt.
Even now, they are rarely seen in stores, but the likelihood of encountering them will become even lower.
2-2. Price hikes by other companies
Since last year, manufacturers have announced a series of price hikes.
We expect that more and more manufacturers will raise their prices in the future as well.
| Manufacturer | Date of price increase | Main brands |
| Atsugishi Distillery | November 2021 | Products after “Single Malt Ritto” released in November 2021. |
| Suntory Limited | April 2022 | Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki, and |
| Chichibu Distillery | April 2022 |
Leaf Series (MWR, WWR, DD, World Blended Limited Edition) |
3. Summary
The price of Taketsuru Pure Malt was raised by 1,000 yen when it was changed to the new label, and now the price has been raised by another 500 yen.
Since Nikka did not originally have expensive products in its lineup, the price increase is not as big a surprise as Suntory’s price increase, but it is a 7-17% price increase.
The purpose behind the price increase is “stable supply in the future” so we can only hope that the situation will be better in a few years or 10 years from now.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
