Suntory whisky partners with Keanu Reeves for video series celebrating 100th anniversary

August 22, 2023

The House of Suntory has partnered with Keanu Reeves on a special four-part video series to celebrate the Japanese whisky company’s 100th anniversary.

About the series: The Roman Coppola-directed series, titled “The Nature and Spirit of Japan: An Exploration of Monozukuri with Keanu Reeves,” was posted on YouTube on July 24. Each episode gives Suntory fans a glimpse at the intricate process of making the company’s famous whisky.

While narrating the series, Reeves, 58, explores the four important elements of Suntory: mizu (water), bi (beauty), kabuku (transform) and hibiki (resonance).

Several whisky experts give Reeves an inside look into their craft, such as when Shinji Fukuyo, a fifth-generation chief blender at Suntory, demonstrates his keen sense of smell and taste as he checks the products. Reeves also notably tries to make his own whisky, but that does not go as planned.

About the company: The House of Suntory was founded in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, Japan’s first master blender, on the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. Torri reportedly took up the challenge of making whisky in his country because “no one else is even trying.”

The company debuted Suntory Shirofuda, “Japan’s first genuine whisky,” in 1929. Since then, Suntory has become renowned in the whisky world, with its products being sold for thousands of dollars per bottle.

What people are saying: Several YouTube users praised the series in the episodes’ comments sections, with one user writing, “This beautiful documentary in which Keanu Reeves acts in the direction with R. Coppola is amazing!”

“Just like the whisky, this docuseries is wonderfully made. Cheers to all the staff at Suntory, Roman, and Keanu,” another user commented.

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Suntory whisky partners with Keanu Reeves for video series celebrating 100th anniversary

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