![](http://www.suntory.co.jp/news/2014/img/12084-1.jpg)
News
No.12084 June 6, 2014
Tokyo, Japan, and Deerfield, Illinois, June 6, 2014 - Eighteen whiskies from the Beam Suntory portfolio have been awarded gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2014, the worldwide tasting competition held in the UK. The winning whiskies were Japanese blended whiskies Hibiki 21 Years Old, Hibiki DEEP HARMONY, Hibiki MELLOW HARMONY, Japanese single malt whiskies Yamazaki 18 Years Old, Yamazaki Mizunara 2013, Yamazaki Bourbon Barrel 2013, Hakushu 25 Years Old, Hakushu 18 Years Old, Hakushu Sherry Cask 2014, and North America whiskies Jim Beam Signature Craft 12 Year, Knob Creek, Knob Creek Rye, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, Canadian Club Classic 12 as well as Scotch whiskies Bowmore 15 Years Old Darkest, Bowmore Black Rock, Bowmore Springtide, and Bowmore Devils Casks. Each received a gold medal in the Whiskies category.
This recognition of brand quality comes just five weeks after the acquisition of Beam Inc. by Suntory Holdings, creating Beam Suntory, the world's #3 premium spirits company. As previously announced, Beam Suntory intends to integrate the Spirits business of Suntory before the end of this year.
The International Spirits Challenge is a competition held every year in the UK, the home of Scotch whisky. In the Whiskies category, medals are awarded based on the blind testing of eleven testers, all of whom are blenders, distillery managers and other industry professionals, and who perform sensory inspections on each of the over 400 whiskies submitted from around the world. The competition is regarded as an authoritative arena for judging the quality of the entries by the exquisite sensory skills of the panel of whisky-making professionals.
Suntory Whisky Website: https://www.suntory.com/whisky/
Beam Suntory Website: http://beamsuntory.com/
Bowmore Website: http://bowmore.com/
As the world's third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as world renown premium brands including Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur. The company generates annual worldwide sales of approximately $4.6 billion excluding excise taxes.
Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.