Suntory is the oldest whisky making company in Japan. Its origins stretch back to a small shop, started in 1899 by Torii Shinjiro, which specialized in selling imported wines. Today, it is the largest and most recognizable whisky maker in Japan. The Suntory Royal is a series of mid range blended whiskies. Of higher standard than the old series, but not quite as high in quality as the Yamazaki and the Hibiki, it is still an excellent whisky for the collector, and also for those who'd like to try out the whole range that Suntory has to offer. The label on this bottle has illustration of an Akita dog - a large breed of dog from the northernmost regions of Japan.