TRBusiness spoke with Ashish Sagar, Suntory Spirit’s Revenue Growth Director GTR on stand at TFWA APEC.

Suntory Global Spirits used the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference to underline the strategic importance of global travel retail, led by the channel-exclusive introduction of Hibiki 12 Years Old and the Maker’s Mark City Series Limited Edition.

The former marks the first aged Hibiki expression created exclusively for travel retail and sits at the heart of the company’s presence at this year’s show.

Speaking to TRBusiness at TFWA Asia Pacific, Ashish Sagar, Interim General Manager GTR, said the release responds directly to demand from consumers and retail partners for a broader Hibiki offer in the channel. “This is the launch I am most excited about,” said Sagar.  “We had a lot of feedback from consumers and clients suggesting we needed more offerings in the Hibiki range, so Hibiki 12 is our answer to that.

“It is the first aged Hibiki travel retail exclusive edition, and we are very excited about it as it has a slightly different flavour profile, and also shows the Japanese craftsmanship.”

Blended by fifth-generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo, Hibiki 12 Years Old revisits the original vision of the Hibiki brand by bringing together whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. The expression includes whiskies matured in American oak, Spanish oak and Mizunara oak, with the latter playing an important role in shaping its character. “Mizunara casks are generally very difficult to work with – most people can’t – and that brings a different element to the finished product that is not commonly found elsewhere,” Sagar explained. “It imparts a certain spiciness to the whisky which is a unique taste profile.”

The bottle design has also been reimagined for the launch, taking inspiration from the beauty of Japanese nature and reinforcing The House of Suntory’s focus on artistry and craftsmanship.

The product has recently gone live in Dubai and will be rolled out to further markets.

New GTR exclusive launches included a Hibiki 12 Years Old.

Alongside Hibiki 12 Years Old, Suntory Global Spirits presented a series of global travel retail exclusives at the show, spanning Japanese whisky, Scotch and American whiskey. Among them was Laphroaig Willem Dafoe 14 Year Old, a limited edition that is now beginning to launch globally.

The company also introduced the Maker’s Mark City Series Limited Edition, a travel retail-exclusive range featuring 11 destination-led editions that is due to go live in Q3. “We have Singapore, Seoul and New York, to name a few,” said Sagar. “One of the big reasons shoppers purchase is around collectability, and destination shopping is huge too, so we expect it to be very popular.”

The Maker’s Mark City Series will be priced at around US$49 and is designed to tap into demand for collectable, destination-relevant products in travel retail.

Sagar also highlighted Laphroaig’s collaboration with Willem Dafoe.

Beyond individual launches, Suntory Global Spirits is also using the show to reinforce a broader strategic priority for 2026: the formalisation of Japanese whisky as a distinct category within global travel retail. The company is championing the standards set by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, which are designed to support authenticity, transparency and craftsmanship in Japanese whisky.

For Suntory Global Spirits, the aim is to help both consumers and retail partners better understand what defines genuine Japanese whisky and ensure the category maintains its premium positioning globally. The company believes global travel retail has an important role to play in communicating these standards, particularly as international shoppers continue to show strong interest in Japanese spirits. “Our APAC strategy doesn’t really differ from our global strategy,” Sagar said. “We have a very clear-cut strategy in that we want to be a partner of choice for both consumers and our retail partners. This involves creating the right brand experiences, and also focusing more on digital.”

Maker’s Mark’s new City Series collection spans 11 different cities. 

Through its latest travel retail exclusives, Suntory Global Spirits is aiming to combine product innovation with stronger storytelling, category education and consumer engagement. And with Hibiki 12 Years Old leading the line-up, the company is positioning global travel retail as a key platform for premium Japanese whisky and wider spirits growth in 2026.

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