See these Japanese whisky commercials!

Most people probably know that the Japanese have a thing for having famous actors starring in their commercials. Leonardo DiCaprio has been in credit card commercials, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been seen in energy drinks commercials and Tommy Lee Jones has done coffee. Japanese whisky makers are no exception to this rule as some of the largest actors and celebrities from Hollywood have appeared in their commercials. Let’s take a look at a few notable examples.

Sean Connery and Suntory Crest 1992

James Bond himself is here, actually Sean Connery as James Bond was spotted in You Only Life Twice with a bottle of Suntory Old. Apparently he liked it so much that he came back a few decades later to get Suntory Crest. Here, we see him trying to make his tie, which doesn’t work out for him so instead, he gets a glass of Suntory Crest, which works out just excellent for him.

Orson Welles in Nikka G&G Commercial

Nikka got the legendary director, Orson Welles to star in a commerical for Nikka G&G in 1979. It’s not a bad commercial as whisky commercials go actually.

Francis Ford Coppola and Akira Kurozawa in a Suntory Reserve commercial

Suntory, not wanting to be outdone by Nikka had not one but two legendary directors in its whisky commerical. This commerical from 1980 was made around the time Kurozawa was doing Kagemusha, Coppola, being his friend and fan produced the movie and while at it, they made a commercial for Suntory Reserve. Word on the internet is that his stories to his daughter on the whole affair inspired her to make Lost in Translation. A movie about a burned out actor who goes to Japan to start in a whisky commercial (the whisky in question was the Hibiki).

Keanu Reeves for Suntory Reserve

Keanu Reeves also starred in a Suntory Reserve article when he was a lot younger than he is today, the commercial does not make much sense to be honest, but it’s still better than that awful movie 47 Ronin movie he would make much later…

Mickey Rourke for Suntory Reserve

Suntory pushed their Reserve series hard for a while, here Mickey Rourke can be seen having a drink, and if he likes it, we like it!