Supplied photo shows bottles of the “Fuji” brand of whisky. (Kyodo)
Kirin Brewery Co. plans to export its premium Fuji brand whisky to Singapore in the coming weeks, betting a weak yen and rising overseas popularity of Japanese whisky will help win customers in the Southeast Asian nation.
Two brands of Fuji — Kirin Single Grain Japanese Whiskey Fuji and Kirin Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji — will be sold at around S$140 (US$100), according to the major Japanese liquor maker.
The whisky is already sold in the United States, France, Australia and China. Singapore was chosen as the fifth country for the brand to enter, counting on a large population of well-to-do customers eager to snap up high-end products.
The products are made exclusively at Kirin’s distillery in Gotenba, Shizuoka Prefecture, near Mt. Fuji, and the brand is known to have a sweet and mellow flavor with multiple layers of aroma, such as scent of fruit.
Export of the Fuji brand this year is expected to increase 2.6 times by value from last year, with more than 50 percent of the products projected to be sold overseas.
Kirin has ramped up sales of Japanese whisky overseas in recent years, with its export value almost rising sixfold in the three years through 2021, the company said.
Rapid depreciation of the yen will likely expand the overseas market for Japanese whisky, which has gained more international recognition and popularity in recent years, Kirin said.