“Blending Ao presented new challenges,” says Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo. “For Hibiki Japanese Harmony, we blended each whisky’s individual flavor points. By gently modifying these points, we balanced the flavor profile.” However, Fukuyo took a different approach to develop Ao.
“Compare it to color. Rather than mixing yellow and blue to make green, I adjusted the blend to bring out more of the characteristics of either color.” Each of the world’s whiskies brings its charm to the Ao blend, opening up for enjoyment.

“Ao is blended from the whiskies of seven distilleries. Ireland’s Cooley Distillery, Scotland’s Ardmore and Glen Garioch Distilleries, America’s Jim Beam Distillery, Canada’s Alberta Distillery, and Japan’s Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries.”
“The whiskies in Ao are each sold originally by their brands. Under normal conditions, it would be unusual to agree to include Mizunara whisky from Yamazaki.” Cooperation on the part of each Beam Suntory brand from the five major whisky distilleries made Ao possible.

“Honestly, I was worried about the direction until the very end.” This blend isn’t one that lends itself to deciding a destination before the journey embarks. Ao was a process of discovery. The ideal taste is a result of exploration. A journey into the unknown.
“Another big discovery was the flavor change after the marrying process.” The marrying process allows the whisky to rest for several months after blending, resulting in whiskies fusing into a balanced flavor. “We achieved pleasantly surprising results. Fortunately, flavor improvements turned out to be excellent discoveries.” Fukuyo speaks lightly, but he had to overcome numerous hardships for this achievement.

“The concept behind this blend is enjoying the personalities from each of the world’s five major whisky regions.” According to Chief Blender Fukuyo, Ao offers an intriguing taste experience. One can discover the role of each country’s whisky in the blend. “Scotch’s distinct richness and smoky flavor add depth. Rustic Irish whiskey adds complexity. Bourbon brings a blossoming aroma. Canadian whisky’s lightness softens the taste, while Japanese whisky binds the flavors.” Even as an introduction to each country’s whisky characteristics, Ao offers exceptional enjoyment potential.

Fukuyo points out that Ao is unlike any whisky. One can experience drastic taste variations depending on its strength in a mix, temperature, and even at different times. “At first blush, it’s sweet, opening to reveal a spicy array, and leaving a smoky finish. It offers a variety of flavors. I predict that one’s impressions of Ao will differ from person to person and situation to situation. Some will find it sweet, others spicy. Some may find it smooth, while others find it complex.” Regardless, Ao offers great depth in each of its incarnations.

“I would start by enjoying it neat in a large glass, then adding ice to alter the taste. As the ice melts, I would add some water to let new flavors emerge, offering new experiences.” The key to enjoying Ao lies in the gradual dilution process with ice or water. However, there’s no one way. Experiment with Ao before deciding how it tastes best. Fukuyo says he wants everyone to discover new flavor features.

Finally, Fukuyo’s message to everyone enjoying Ao, “Find the dazzle of Jim Beam, the smoky depth of Ardmore, and the sherry flavor of Yamazaki. I think these three flavors are relatively easy to find.” Enjoy the charm and the mystique of Ao.

Beyond taste, Ao sets itself apart from other whiskies through design. We sat down with two creatives involved in crafting Ao’s design personality.

Furusho: Each whisky leaves its mark long after its introduction. Our job was to create a design that will be relevant even ten years from now. This responsibility demands a great deal of passion. We contributed to the team effort from the beginning of the Ao project, playing a part in its concept and name. I felt the process was necessary for unifying my thoughts.

Kataoka: While working on Ao’s design, the real challenge was balancing contradictory elements in multiple axes. One axis was “heritage and innovation,” to guard whisky’s character while being bold. The other was the “World and Japan” axis, offering a sense of fusion between World Whiskies and Japanese Whisky. I struggled to find a suitable landing point within these axes. Ultimately, it led to Ao’s ink lettering. It was a big challenge to express Roman characters with Japanese calligraphy, but the result helped us communicate innovation. Also, I believe we were able to capture the theme “World and Japan” well through the lettering.

Kataoka：The five-faceted bottle was accepted warmly from the early stages of brand development as a motif that symbolizes the world’s five most influential whisky regions. However, the typical pentagon didn’t offer the feel of a sound whisky. In pursuing the perfect image, the design uses a corner to project the label outward, giving it dignity. We made so many prototypes. We finally settled on the five-faceted bottle of asymmetrical dimensions.

Furusho：Looking back, Kakubin and Old have a Western feel. While whisky is a Western spirit, these design cues add Japanese form, integrating the Japanese soul into a Western craft.

As times changed and Japanese whiskies became more established, more designs using Japanese calligraphy appeared. The role of design had changed from mimicking Western varieties to celebrating the existence of Japanese whisky. In this way, design has played its part in Japanese whisky history.

Ao delivers a message for a new era of whisky, SUNTORY WORLD WHISKY. The design represents the continuing pursuit of design perfection.