Suntory’s first Japanese whisky was Shirofuda, released in 1929.
Shirofuda was produced after Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii established Japan’s first commercial whisky distillery at Yamazaki. The product was an early attempt to create a whisky suited to Japanese tastes and conditions while drawing on Scottish production methods.
The name Shirofuda means “white label,” and the whisky’s label design reflected that identity. Its strong, smoky character did not immediately make it a mass-market success, but it marked an important beginning for Suntory and for Japan’s modern whisky industry.
Shirofuda should not be confused with Yamazaki, the distillery and later single-malt brand, or Hibiki, a blended whisky introduced decades afterward. Kakubin is another major Suntory brand, but it was also released later than Shirofuda.