First taste of a whisky that costs US$35,000

Growing empire: Suntory chief executive Tak Niinami. The market for Japanese whisky is forecast to be worth US$9.32bil by 2032. — Reuters

Tokyo: When it comes to ultra-luxury spirits, Japanese whisky remains a juggernaut.

Worth US$3.86bil two years ago, according to market researcher Spherical Insights, it’s expected to shake off the stagnancy of the spirits industry at large with a compound annual growth rate of 9.2% and become a US$9.32bil market by 2032.