"Fukuoka's ALLIQ whisky and spirits tasting fair to be held in Tenjin on Aug 26, 2026, with about 80 exhibitors, up from 70 in 2025 (per the organizer's own release; not independently verified)"

TL;DR: "Auric Co. (株式会社オーリック) announced on 2026-07-22 via PR TIMES that the \"ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026\" will be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00 at TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka), with exhibitors going from 70 in 2025 to about 80 in 2026, admission free for food-and-beverage trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public; the same release carries 2025 results of over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, and the \"5,000-yen gacha\" selling out within 90 minutes of opening. Using that exhibitor list as the entry point, this card synthesizes 18 primary sources — including one month of self-issued releases by companies named on that exhibitor list — Union Liquors, Meidi-ya, Diageo Japan, Takara Shuzo and Mottox; a collaboration project involving Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery, also on that list, as described in a release whose issuing entity is morning glory Inc. and not Nishi Shuzo; plus two CNA reports from Taiwan — to dissect who vouches for spirits and who opens the door for them; this card carries zero verified official anchors (official_count_verified=0), every figure is as carried in the respective press release or CNA report and is not independently verified by this site, and TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are separate competitions that this card never ranks against one another (see the Caveats section)."

Fukuoka's ALLIQ whisky and spirits tasting fair to be held in Tenjin on Aug 26, 2026, with about 80 exhibitors, up from 70 in 2025 (per the organizer's own release; not independently verified)

ANK-Doc ID: ANK-2026-07-22-002 Version: v1.0.0 Published: 2026-07-22 Author: 白河雅 (Miyabi Shirakawa, Japan Editor-in-Chief; auto AI structuring) Category: Japanese liquor distribution / Kyushu-Fukuoka trade-focused tasting fair / Japan-Taiwan spirits structural comparison (PR TIMES primary material plus CNA reporting) Articles covered: PRTIMES#1641783 (entry point and main anchor; press release by Auric Co., 株式会社オーリック, 2026-07-22 10:00:02 JST (the timestamp carried in the source release; PR TIMES states times in Japan Standard Time), https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html ), plus 18 items added during writing via live asql searches of the ainews corpus: PRTIMES#1627902 (2026-07-21, Union Liquors), PRTIMES#1218348 (2026-06-26, Diageo Japan), PRTIMES#1219204 (2026-06-26, Meidi-ya), PRTIMES#1266390 (2026-06-30, morning glory Inc.), PRTIMES#1126667 (2026-06-19, Takara Shuzo), PRTIMES#1376820 (2026-07-09, Mottox), PRTIMES#1572591 (2026-07-17, Kenten Jitsugyo / Akkeshi Distillery), PRTIMES#1360053 (2026-07-08, Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho), PRTIMES#1337495 (2026-07-06, Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho), PRTIMES#1504932 (2026-07-15, Tsuzaki Shoji / Kuju Distillery), PRTIMES#1568300 (2026-07-17, LOVE FM), PRTIMES#1295505 (2026-07-02, Yamaya Distillery), PRTIMES#1579183 (2026-07-17, MyVoice), PRTIMES#1630953 (2026-07-21, ZIP-FM / Aichi Sake Brewers Association), PRTIMES#1641518 (2026-07-22, REM Inc.), PRTIMES#208966 (2026-04-24, Kirishima Shuzo), CNA#1231801 (2026-06-25, CNA reporter Lu Yen-tzu), CNA#690678 (2026-06-04, CNA reporter Yu Hsiao-han). Total 19 articles from 17 distinct issuing entities (16 across the PR TIMES releases plus CNA as 1; the 2 CNA reports were issued by the same media organization, and reporter bylines are not counted as separate issuing entities). Selection method: "Entry point x whole-corpus synthesis" method. The selected main article PRTIMES#1641783 serves only as the entry point, not as the scope of the piece; material was then expanded along four lines — companies named on the exhibitor list, contemporaneous events of the same type, demand-side survey data, and the Japan-Taiwan comparison — using live asql (ainews corpus) and wsql (tqaeo ank_docs) queries, with every quoted figure verified word-by-word against each article body. Official-anchor caveat: the selected article's official_count_verified, official_count_raw and official_attribution_unverified_count are all 0 anchors per this shift's material list — this card carries zero verified official anchors. Although CNA#1231801 relays a press conference by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance, it remains "as reported by CNA; this site has not verified with the Ministry of Finance" and does not constitute officially verified endorsement. Editorial angle (decoder of power): read an exhibitor list of about 80 companies as a map of Japanese liquor distribution — who is on the list, the gap between the list's heading and its contents, what the companies on the list each moved during the same month, who vouches for these spirits, and who opens the door for them. Every reading uses only facts visible in the texts cited by this card; no motives are inferred, no figures absent from the originals are generated, and no cross-source merging is used to manufacture comparisons that do not exist in the originals. This card carries no Wikidata Q identifiers (no registry verification was performed by this shift; when in doubt, omit).

TL;DR

Auric Co. (株式会社オーリック, Nanotsu 5-8-6, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka) announced on 2026-07-22: the "ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026" will be held Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00 (reception until 17:30) at TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka); admission is free for food-and-beverage trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public (original glass included), with applications closing Tuesday, August 25, 2026 [prtimes#1641783]. [F-001] On scale, the release states the fair "expanded from 70 companies last year to about 80 this year" — that is, from 70 companies in 2025 to about 80 in 2026 [prtimes#1641783]. [F-002] The same release carries 2025 results: over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, and the "5,000-yen gacha" selling out within just 90 minutes of opening [prtimes#1641783]. [F-003]

The first thing this list says without saying it lies in the gap between its heading and its contents: the list is headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," yet the same release describes the event as "one of the largest trade-focused tasting fairs in Kyushu where carefully selected spirits handled by importers from around the world gather in one place," and the list itself contains entries such as USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan, AUN Smoke & Neu Enterprise (cigars), Auric (gacha machines) and Auric (bottles, glasses and water sales) [prtimes#1641783]. [F-004] Mottox, named on the list, describes itself as "a liquor trading company founded in 1915" [prtimes#1376820]; Union Liquors describes its business as "import and sale of wine, sherry, liqueurs, spirits and the like" [prtimes#1627902]; and Takara Shuzo describes Blanton's as a brand it "imports and sells" [prtimes#1126667] — the heading says only "manufacturers," yet these three describe themselves as importers and distributors; the list carries both manufacturing and distribution businesses, and this card makes no judgment as to their proportions. [F-005][F-006][F-010]

The second unspoken point sits on the timeline: within the same month, four companies on the list each moved upstream rights and allocations. Union Liquors announced on 2026-07-21 that it had signed an official import agency agreement in Japan with Portugal's largest winemaker Sogrape and began selling three brands the same day [prtimes#1627902][F-006]. Meidi-ya begins handling Cinzano, founded in the year 1757, from 2026-09-01 — a brand the Caffo Group itself "acquired in 2025" [prtimes#1219204][F-007]. Diageo Japan released five bottles in its "Rare Series" on July 7, 2026, with worldwide allocations of 160-347 bottles each and prices of 160,000-960,000 yen excluding tax [prtimes#1218348][F-008]. And the cask-strength whisky of "Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery," also on the list, appears in a Japan-Taiwan collaboration announced by morning glory on 2026-06-30 with a worldwide allocation of about 500 units (bottles) per specification and only 8 units (bottles) per specification for Japan [prtimes#1266390][F-009].

The third unspoken point is about who does the vouching: on the Taiwan side, CNA reported on 2026-06-25 on a regular press conference by the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance — certified spirits nominated for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) achieved a 100% award rate, 12 medals from nominated entries plus self-entered producers' medals for 28 in total, with the Quality Liquor Certification scheme promoted since ROC year 92 and 296 domestic products across 53 production lines currently certified [cna#1231801][F-011]. On the Japan side, within the 17 Japanese PR TIMES releases this card uses, competition operation, qualification certification, specialist-magazine publishing, large tasting-fair organizing and "advice on production and technical guidance consulting" all sit inside the same private company, Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (株式会社ウイスキー文化研究所, established March 2001) [prtimes#1337495][F-012], whose representative Mamoru Tsuchiya is simultaneously chair of the TWSC2026 executive committee [prtimes#1572591][F-013] and the organizer's representative for the November 2026 Tokyo whisky festival [prtimes#1360053][F-014]. But the private tier is not the only tier in Japan: Kirishima Shuzo announced on 2026-04-24 that its Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal," and was also selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one per prefecture across Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Oita; per that release, the division and class drew 433 entries from 192 production sites, of which 117 won an Award of Excellence [prtimes#208966][F-022]. In other words, the name of a competent authority appears on both sides of the quality endorsement — on the Japanese side the spirits appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau [F-022], and on the Taiwan side the certification and nomination by the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance [F-011]. The difference is that Japan additionally carries a private tier of competitions, qualifications and specialist publishing [F-012], whereas no comparable private tier appears in the Taiwanese material used by this card. This is an observation within the range of this card's material (see the Caveats section). [J-005]

Caveats pinned: this card carries zero verified official anchors; every figure is as carried in the respective press release or CNA report and is not independently verified by this site. TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions; this card states each on its own and never ranks or merges them [J-004]. "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the exhibitor list and the "Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications" of PRTIMES#1295505 make no reference to one another anywhere in this card's two source texts; this site has found no link between them and they must not be treated as the same company [J-002].

Body

1. How to read the list: the heading says "manufacturers," yet the list also names the people who put spirits into shops

Almost nobody reads an exhibitor list closely. The value of this one lies precisely in the fact that its heading and its contents do not match.

The organizer heads the list "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," yet the opening of the same release describes the event as "one of the largest trade-focused tasting fairs in Kyushu where carefully selected spirits handled by importers from around the world gather in one place," and mid-text it says "about 80 manufacturers and importers will exhibit this year" — producers and importers sit inside the same counting unit. More decisively, the list also contains USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan, AUN Smoke & Neu Enterprise (cigars), and two entries for the organizer itself: Auric (gacha machines) and Auric (bottles, glasses and water sales) [prtimes#1641783]. [F-004]

There is only one reading under which in-store music, commercial fixtures, non-alcoholic drinks and cigars belong on the roster of a "spirits tasting fair," and that reading is written into the same release: this is a procurement floor built for restaurants and bars. The original text states plainly, "Food-and-beverage professionals may attend free of charge. Please make use of it as a reference for finding new menu items and for purchasing," while the target field reads "food-and-beverage trade visitors, general spirits enthusiasts" and the fee field reads free for trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public [prtimes#1641783]. [F-001][F-004] In other words, the event is free to the trade and paid for consumers — the pricing structure itself declares whom it serves.

As for who the companies on the list are, three can be pinned word-for-word using their own releases. Mottox describes itself as "a liquor trading company founded in 1915," "established March 1954 (founded September 1915)," with business content "liquor trading company (imported wine, regional Japanese sake, shochu and awamori)" [prtimes#1376820][F-005]. Union Liquors describes its business as "import and sale of wine, sherry, liqueurs, spirits and the like," established September 26, 1987 [prtimes#1627902][F-006]. Takara Shuzo describes Blanton's as a bourbon whiskey that it "imports and sells" [prtimes#1126667][F-010]. None of the three is a "manufacturer." The heading uses a single label, while the contents include both manufacturing and distribution businesses.

2. In the same month, the companies on the list were each moving upstream rights and allocations

Look only at August 26 and this appears to be a drinking event. Line the companies on the list up against their own announcements over the past month, however, and it becomes clear that the real decisions were made long before — the tasting fair merely puts the results on the table.

Acquiring agency rights: Union Liquors announced on 2026-07-21 that it had concluded an "official import agency agreement within Japan" with Sogrape, Portugal's largest winemaker, and would begin selling three brands — Sandeman, Mateus Rosé and Gazela — from July 21, 2026. The release states Sogrape was founded in 1942, operates in "more than 120 markets," and holds "19 wholly owned wineries and about 1,600 hectares of wholly owned vineyards" [prtimes#1627902]. [F-006]

The brand itself changed owners: Meidi-ya announced on 2026-06-26 that from Tuesday, September 1, 2026 it would begin handling "Cinzano," founded in Turin in 1757, comprising three sparkling wines and two vermouths. The same release states Cinzano is owned by the Caffo Group, founded in 1915, which "in 2025 acquired the historic brand Cinzano" [prtimes#1219204]. [F-007] That is, the brand appearing on Japanese shelves in autumn 2026 is the shape that a 2025 acquisition completed in Italy takes when it reaches Japan a year later.

The allocation is written onto the bottle: the five bottles of the "Rare Series" announced by Diageo Japan on 2026-06-26 went on sale Tuesday, July 7, 2026, each carrying a worldwide bottle allocation and a price excluding tax — Blair Athol 1991 (34 years / 347 bottles / 160,000 yen), Caol Ila 1983 (42 years / 318 bottles / 460,000 yen), Clynelish 1983 (42 years / 160 bottles / 610,000 yen), Talisker 1992 (33 years / 331 bottles / 200,000 yen), and Glenury Royal 1970 (55 years, described in the release as "the oldest age statement in Diageo's history" / 232 bottles / 960,000 yen). The same release states Diageo operates in "more than 180 countries" and holds "more than 29 working distilleries" and "a stock of over 10 million casks" [prtimes#1218348]. [F-008]

And scarcity can also flow outward: the list includes "Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery." morning glory Inc. announced on 2026-06-30 (the issuing entity is morning glory, not Nishi Shuzo) a limited collaboration between Japanese whisky from Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery and art by the Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang, released on the CAMPFIRE crowdfunding platform on Saturday, June 27, 2026; it uses non-seasoned sherry casks of 30-40 years' standing, bottled at cask strength with no water added; four variants themed "earth, water, fire, wind," with about 500 bottles worldwide per specification and only 8 bottles per specification for Japan, each serial-numbered [prtimes#1266390]. [F-009]

Read [F-008] and [F-009] side by side and two scarcities pointing in opposite directions appear on the same list: on one side, allocations of 232-347 bottles each entering the Japanese market at 160,000-960,000 yen from a British group; on the other, a Kyushu distillery keeping only 8 bottles per specification at home and sending roughly 500 to the world. The two sets of figures have their own sources and their own definitions, and this card does not add, convert or compare them — but the fact that they appear simultaneously on the same exhibitor list is itself the reason to read that list line by line.

3. Who vouches for the spirits (the private tier): in Japan the competition, qualifications and tasting fair concentrate in one company

Three competition names appear in this card's material: TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026. They are separate competitions; this card states each on its own and never ranks or merges them (see the Caveats section). What can be dissected is who operates the competition.

Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (head office Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; representative director Mamoru Tsuchiya; established March 2001) lists its business content word-for-word in the company profile of its own release: "editing and publishing Whisky Galore / editing and publishing textbooks for the Whisky Connoisseur qualification examination / writing and supervising whisky-related books / planning and operating whisky festivals / planning and operating the Whisky Connoisseur qualification examination / operating the Whisky Kentei examination / operating the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) / consulting including production advice and technical guidance for whisky" [prtimes#1337495]. [F-012]

In one sentence, those eight items mean: the specialist magazine, the qualification certification, the large tasting fair, the competition, and technical consulting for the production side all sit inside a single legal entity. This is not this site's conjecture; the company itself wrote it out, item by item, in the company profile at the foot of its press release.

Both ends also have third-party corroboration. On the competition end, Kenten Jitsugyo's (Akkeshi Distillery) release of 2026-07-17 describes the TWSC as "a spirits competition boasting one of the largest scales of entries in Asia, judging whiskies and spirits from around the world with the delicate palate cultivated by Japanese culture," and states explicitly that it is "hosted by the TWSC executive committee chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya" [prtimes#1572591]. [F-013] On the event end, the same Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho announced on 2026-07-08 that the "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo" will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 6-7, 2026 at Tokyo International Forum Hall E, in an irregular three-session format with complete audience turnover; admission is 3,500 yen including tax for the Premium Night and 5,000 yen including tax for each of the first and second sessions; attendance is capped at 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days); general ticket sales start at noon on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with member pre-sales of 400 tickets per session from noon on Wednesday, August 19 [prtimes#1360053]. [F-014]

And there is a verifiable commercial link between that entity and a company on the list: Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho announced on 2026-07-06 that a special collaboration bottle marking the 72nd birthdays of its representative Mamoru Tsuchiya and Honbo Shuzo Co. president Kazuto Honbo — "Umah!! 72 Tsuchiya x Honbo Commemorative Bottle" — would go on sale to members only through its own official online shop from 12:00 on July 8, 2026, at 17,600 yen including tax (shipping extra), 50 bottles offered, 246 bottles in total, 50% ABV, 700ml [prtimes#1337495]. [F-012] The ALLIQ exhibitor list names both "Honbo Shuzo" and "Honbo Shoten" [prtimes#1641783]. [F-004]

This card records here only two facts visible in the texts — that multiple functions are concentrated in one legal entity, and that a verifiable collaboration product exists between that entity and a company named on the list. It does not evaluate the legitimacy of this, asserts no conflict of interest, and infers no motive. What a reader does with that is the reader's business; this site's job is to draw the line that runs between the lines, and to mark exactly where the drawing stops. [J-003]

4. The public tier: Taiwan's sits in the National Treasury Administration, Japan's surfaces at the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau

The same "vouching for spirits" function has a public-sector version on each side, occupying a different seat and working differently.

CNA reported on 2026-06-25 (reporter Lu Yen-tzu): the National Treasury Administration of the Ministry of Finance held its regular press conference that day, at which deputy director-general Ma Hsiao-hui said the administration had nominated certified spirits for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and "set a record of a 100% award rate for nominated entries," taking 5 double gold, 2 gold and 5 silver medals for 12 in total; adding producers' self-entered products' 3 double gold, 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze, "28 medals have been won so far, with results and awards still being announced in sequence." The report states that King Car Group was the biggest winner with 13 medals and that its "Kavalan Solist FINO Sherry Cask" took double gold for a third consecutive edition; that Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation's "Single Malt Whisky (Sherry Dried Fruit)" took double gold; that Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor took 6 medals; and that Nantou County Xinyi Township Farmers' Association's "Wild" and "Soft Water," made from Taiwanese yellow plums, and Taichung City Wufeng District Farmers' Association's "Chuwu Shochu" and "Zuifeng .46," made from Wufeng fragrant rice, drew recognition from international judges. The administration further explained that the Quality Liquor Certification scheme has been promoted since ROC year 92; producers must pass qualification review, on-site assessment and product sampling before they may use the "W"-shaped quality certification mark; and 296 domestic products across 53 production lines are currently certified [cna#1231801]. [F-011]

Japan has a public-sector version too, and its name is written directly into the press release of a company named on the exhibitor list. Kirishima Shuzo Co. (head office Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki; president Kunitake Enatsu) announced on 2026-04-24 that its Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal," and was also selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one brewery per prefecture across the four target prefectures of Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Oita. The release states the appraisal is "held for the purpose of advancing and developing brewing technology and improving quality through quality assessment of the sake and shochu produced," and that the authentic shochu division has three classes: the standard class (25% ABV), the soda-mixed class, and the challenge class (35% ABV and above). Per the release, this edition's authentic shochu division, standard class drew 433 items from 192 production sites with 117 records of an Award of Excellence, of which Miyazaki Prefecture accounted for 105 items from 49 production sites with 31 records of an Award of Excellence [prtimes#208966]. [F-022] The name Kirishima Shuzo appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783]. [F-004]

Placing [F-011], [F-012] and [F-022] together surfaces not "which is better" but the same set of functions split into a public and a private tier, with the two tiers allocated differently: on both sides the public tier is fronted by an authority bearing a fiscal or tax designation — in Taiwan the certification scheme and competition nominations of the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance [F-011], and in Japan the spirits appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau [F-022] (this card has not verified how the two authorities correspond in rank and asserts no institutional equivalence). The difference is that Japan additionally carries a private tier of competitions, qualification certification, specialist publishing and large tasting fairs, concentrated in a single company established in 2001 [F-012], whereas no comparable private tier appears in the Taiwanese material used by this card. All of the above is an observation within the range of this card's material (17 Japanese PR TIMES releases and 2 CNA reports); this card did not exhaustively search public or private bodies in either place, and the absence of something from this card must not be used to infer its non-existence [J-005].

And the SFWSC name appears independently on both sides of this card's material. On the Japanese side, Takara Shuzo's press release of 2026-06-19 states that "Blanton's" and "Blanton's Straight From The Barrel," which it imports and sells, won Double Gold at SFWSC2026 and that "Blanton's Gold" won Silver; it describes the SFWSC as "one of the largest and most international spirits competitions in the United States, held every year in San Francisco since its founding in 2000," with Double Gold given to entries "unanimously judged by the panel to merit a gold medal" [prtimes#1126667][F-010]. On the Taiwan side, it is the CNA report above [cna#1231801][F-011]. The same competition name is announced in Japan by a company in a press release, and in Taiwan by the Ministry of Finance at a regular press conference. The two are stated separately; nothing is added together and nothing is ranked.

5. One summer in Tenjin, two completely opposite crowd models

In the summer of 2026, Tenjin 1-chome in Chuo-ku, Fukuoka accommodated 2 cases of alcohol events whose models are exact opposites.

B2B model (ALLIQ): Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00, TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2), about 80 exhibitors, free for food-and-beverage trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public (original glass included), organized by a single private company, Auric Co.; general tickets are handled by e+ and trade applications via Microsoft Forms [prtimes#1641783]. [F-001][F-002]

B2C model (Jim Beam): Friday July 24, 2026, 16:00-21:30; Saturday July 25, 11:00-21:30; Sunday July 26, 11:00-20:30, at Tenjin Central Park (Tenjin 1-1), admission free, the fifth edition; organized by LOVE FM, with cooperation from RKB, support from Fukuoka City and special sponsorship by Suntory; drinks at 300 yen including tax for regular size and 500 yen including tax for mega size; 17 food stalls in total; official T-shirts 4,000 yen and towels 2,300 yen including tax [prtimes#1568300]. [F-015]

One is free to the trade and 4,400 yen to consumers; the other is free to enter and monetized through cups and merchandise. One puts about 80 suppliers in a single hall so restaurateurs can compare; the other puts a single brand in a park so three days of foot traffic gets to know it. Two entirely different funnels in the same Tenjin 1-chome — and Suntory appears on both sides: it is named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783][F-004] and it is the special sponsor of the Jim Beam Summer Fes [prtimes#1568300][F-015], while its chief blender Shinji Fukuyo is listed as a tasting-seminar lecturer at the Tokyo whisky festival in November 2026 [prtimes#1360053][F-014]. One company standing in one position within each of three different convening models. Each of those three items has its own source and date; this card infers nothing about that company's strategy or intent from them.

6. Who convenes the room: four types of organizing entity in this card's material

Pull back further and the organizers of the alcohol-gathering events this card covers fall neatly into four different kinds of entity — which is the structural question this list ultimately points to: in Japan, who is entitled to put a crowd of liquor sellers and a crowd of buyers into the same room?

Private company organizer (trade-negotiation model): Auric Co. organizes the ALLIQ tasting fair, August 26, 2026, about 80 companies, free to the trade [prtimes#1641783]. [F-001][F-002]
Industry association x media co-hosting (regional sake model): "Aki Sake Matsuri Aichi - AUTUMN SAKE FEST 2026" on Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, 2026, 11:00-20:30 at the Edion Hisaya Plaza special venue inside Hisaya-odori Park (Naka-ku, Nagoya), organized by the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and ZIP-FM (the release states they "have co-hosted since 2017"), with support from Chunichi Shimbun and Nagoya City, and 27 breweries exhibiting; "Aki Sake Matsuri Gifu - Intoxicated by Gifu's Local Sake 2026" on Saturday and Sunday, October 24-25, 2026 at Kogane Park (Gifu City), organized by the Gifu Prefecture Sake Brewers Association Federation and ZIP-FM, described in the release as having "started in 2023" and reaching its "fourth edition in 2026," with 30 breweries from the prefecture; participation at both requires purchasing a starter set containing 10 items (food-and-drink coins) plus an original sake cup and a wristband [prtimes#1630953]. [F-016]
Media organizer x single-brand sponsorship (mass model): the free-entry festival at Tenjin Central Park organized by LOVE FM with Suntory as special sponsor [prtimes#1568300]. [F-015]
Private specialist entity organizer (enthusiast model): Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho at Tokyo International Forum, capped at 2,200 per session with 6,600 planned across two days, admission 3,500-5,000 yen including tax [prtimes#1360053]. [F-014]

There is a fifth type as well — one that organizes nothing and simply buys exclusivity inside someone else's room. REM Inc. (liquor sales brand 813KAGA) announced on 2026-07-22 that at "The Great British Summer Bash 2026," hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) on July 16, 2026 from 19:00 to 21:00 on the 3rd floor of Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, it participated as an event sponsor and exclusively supplied the whisky; about 150 people attended, and a special video message from co-founder and 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button was screened. The product is Coachbuilt Whisky Build No.001, a blended Scotch, 700ml, 46% ABV [prtimes#1641518]. [F-017] Mottox belongs to the same type: its 2026-07-09 release states it will participate as Official Wine Partner in "NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026" on October 16-18, 2026 (about 50 restaurants and about 50 chefs from across Japan participating, 2,500 seats on sale, ticket sales opening at noon on July 7, 2026) [prtimes#1376820]. [F-005]

Read [F-001], [F-014], [F-015] and [F-016] together and it becomes visible that the right to convene alcohol gatherings in Japan is dispersed across four types of entity — private companies, industry associations, media and specialist bodies — while the moves of the distribution-side firms (Takara Shuzo, Mottox, Union Liquors, REM) consist of buying a seat in each of those four kinds of room. That also explains why USEN and Gyomuyo Bihin Center end up mixed into the ALLIQ list [F-004]: when the room is convened by a private company rather than a brewers' association, what goes into the room is determined by what the convener judges its restaurant customers need to see, not by the boundary of the category called "alcohol." This site's earlier work records the same caveat handling: eiicon's "OI SUMMIT 2026" likewise had the organizer itself announce an expanded lineup, with that figure defined relative to the lineup existing before that release and carried in the announcement (see the internal citation chain).

7. One verifiable cross-section each on the supply and demand sides (each a sample or an individual case; neither a census nor a trend)

Just as the list carries an exhibitor entered under a distillery name, "Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery," this card's material contains two more verifiable cases of the same type — three cases are three cases, and constitute no claim about an industry trend:

Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery: the release states the Ontake Distillery began distilling in 2019 and sits on high ground overlooking Sakurajima (formerly named Ontake) in Kagoshima, while its parent Nishi Shuzo has "about 200 years" of history in shochu making (as carried in morning glory's 2026-06-30 release) [prtimes#1266390]. [F-009]
Kuju Distillery: described in the release as "the only craft whisky distillery in Oita Prefecture, and rare nationwide in having been founded by a liquor retailer," with the corporate name Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd. (Kuju 6426, Kuju-machi, Taketa City, Oita; president Shoji Utoda; founded in the early Taisho era and incorporated in 1992). Its new product "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01" goes on sale Friday, July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml, suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax, completing a trilogy of 3 series after "sora" and "michi"; altitude about 600 meters [prtimes#1504932]. [F-018]
Yamaya Distillery: described in the release as a group company of Yamaya Communications Inc. (head office in Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka; business content "manufacture and sale of spicy cod roe; processing, manufacture and sale of marine and general food products; restaurant business"), with its own head office in Sanno, Saito City, Miyazaki. At IWSC2026 its "Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu" won gold (720ml / 14,300 yen including tax / 22% ABV / five years in kame jars / Nanko plums from Tsuno-cho, Miyazaki), while "CRAZY OCTOPUS" and "eau-de-vie de FRAISE" won silver; the release states Yamaya Distillery was born in the early Meiji era in the Yoshida district of Saito City, Miyazaki as "Yoshida no shochu" [prtimes#1295505]. [F-019] Warning: this company is not the same as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, and this site has found no link between them (see the Caveats section and [J-002]).

On the demand side there is one cross-section with its definitions clearly marked: MyVoice Communications Inc. announced on 2026-07-17 its ninth internet survey on "shochu drinking," conducted June 1-7, 2026 with 10,742 respondents (an internet survey, i.e. a sample, not a census): a little over 30% of respondents drink shochu; among shochu drinkers, types consumed in the past year (multiple answers) were sweet-potato shochu 54.3% and barley shochu 41.3%, with the release stating "sweet-potato shochu is high in Kyushu and low in Hokkaido and Tohoku"; the most preferred serve was mizuwari at 20.3%; priorities when choosing were taste 60.7%, ease of drinking 40.5% and price 36.3%; a little over 40% intend to drink shochu going forward, rising above 80% among those who drink it two to three days a month or more. The release requires citation as "MyVoice survey" [prtimes#1579183]. [F-020]

All this cross-section can support is one thing: within that survey sample, the share for sweet-potato shochu is higher in Kyushu than in Hokkaido and Tohoku [F-020]; and of this card's three verifiable cases of distilleries founded by parties whose core business is not whisky, two (Nishi Shuzo in Kagoshima, Kuju Distillery in Oita) and one (Yamaya Distillery in Miyazaki, parent company in Fukuoka) are all located in Kyushu [F-009][F-018][F-019]. This card infers no causation and no representativeness from that — three cases are three cases, and a sample is a sample.

8. Between Japan and Taiwan, this line runs both ways

The last line returns to Taiwan, and it is not one-directional.

Taiwan is a demand side for scarce Japanese spirits: morning glory's 2026-06-30 release states that the art label for the collaboration was created by the Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang (born 1949 in Hsinchu, Taiwan; graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts, Department of Fine Arts and Crafts in 1969; became chairman of the China Art Designers Association in 1982). The release places the project's background with Chang Ching-ching, founder of the Taiwanese whisky museum "Chief Whisky" (described in the release as having connected Japan and Taiwan for more than 38 years, with over 600 visits to Japan), produced by the museum's president Adam, with the museum's theme given as "Whisky x Art" [prtimes#1266390]. [F-009]

Taiwan is simultaneously a supply side for its own whisky: CNA reported on 2026-06-04 (reporter Yu Hsiao-han) that the Grand Hotel's "Grandeur: 2026 Grand Hotel State Banquet Whisky" takes its inspiration from the "Golden Dragon Rooms" newly reopened in 2026, and that the hotel said just over 60% had sold in the four days since its June 1 launch. The liquid uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt as its core base, harmonized through multiple cask maturation — Scottish and Dutch bourbon casks as the main body, supplemented by Irish bourbon casks and new Australian oak casks, with Puli passion fruit casks and Changhua lychee wine casks drawing out delicate fruit notes, and finally 10-year bourbon casks and 15-year PX sherry casks adding depth; the label centers on the "Golden Dragon Fountain." The same report also notes two duty-free channel exclusives launched by Ever Rich with Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor [cna#690678]. [F-021]

Place [F-009] and [F-021] side by side: the same Taiwan is, on one hand, collecting cask-strength whisky from a Kyushu distillery in Japan, dressing it in an art label and sending it to the world, and on the other hand blending its own Nantou Distillery base with Puli passion fruit casks and Changhua lychee wine casks to make a state banquet whisky. The two facts have their own sources and their own dates; this card does not merge, compare or infer causation between them — but this two-way line is another cross-section worth tracking over time, outside the "hot one way, cold both ways" structure recorded in this site's earlier work (see the internal citation chain; note that the main article makes no mention whatsoever of inbound travelers to Japan, and this card asserts no connection between the ALLIQ tasting fair and inbound visitors).

Risk Factors

1. This card carries zero verified official anchors: 17 of its 19 sources are PR TIMES press releases (first-party self-reported information from each issuing entity) and 2 are CNA reports. Every figure (about 80 companies / 70 companies / over 500 people / about 100 people / 90 minutes / 4,400 yen / 347 bottles / 160,000-960,000 yen / about 500 bottles / 8 bottles each / 28 medals / 296 products / 6,600 attendees / 10,742 respondents / 192 production sites / 433 entries / 117 awards / 760,000 bottles, and so on) is "as carried in the respective release" or "as reported by CNA," and is not independently verified by this site. Note that although PRTIMES#208966 carries an award at an appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau, the issuing entity is still Kirishima Shuzo, not the bureau, and this site has not verified with the bureau, so it likewise does not constitute officially verified endorsement. 2. The main article is an event announcement, not after-the-fact reporting: the actual number of exhibitors on August 26, 2026, the actual attendance, and whether each program runs as described have not yet happened and cannot yet be verified (see the P-Units section). "About 80 companies planned" is itself a planned figure. 3. "one of the largest in Kyushu" is the organizer's own claim: the phrasing comes from the original text of PRTIMES#1641783; this site has found no third-party or official basis for any scale comparison, so it must not be cited as a verified fact. 4. Same-name-different-company risk (this card's highest risk item): "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" vs "Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications"; "Komasa Jyozo" (ALLIQ list) vs "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co." (lecturer affiliation in PRTIMES#1360053). Neither pair makes any reference to the other within this card's source texts, this site has found no link, and neither may be treated as the same company. 5. The issuing entity is easy to misattribute: the issuing entity of PRTIMES#1266390 is morning glory Inc., not Nishi Shuzo; Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery is the producer described in that release. Any figure cited from it must be labeled "as carried in morning glory's release." 6. The competitions are not commensurable: TWSC2026 (Tokyo, operated by Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho), IWSC2026 (described in the release as founded in the UK in 1969) and SFWSC2026 (described in the release as founded in 2000 in the US) are three separate competitions with different judging methods, entry pools and award names; this card states each on its own and forbids ranking them or merging them to manufacture comparisons absent from the originals. 7. A sample must not be treated as a census: all percentages in PRTIMES#1579183 have as their base the survey's 10,742 respondents (for some items, the shochu drinkers among them); this is an internet-survey sample and must not be extrapolated to the whole population or all drinkers. 8. This card contains no legal commentary: the main article's "no admission for those under 20 years" and "drunk driving is prohibited by law; please use public transport" are reproduced solely as the organizer's 2 notices; this card offers no interpretation of law or assessment of compliance.

§Caveats (source limitations, consolidated once)

Official anchors: official_count_verified = 0. Every figure in this card is as carried in the respective PR TIMES release or as reported by CNA, and is not independently verified by this site. Although CNA#1231801 relays a regular press conference by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance, it remains "as reported by CNA; this site has not verified with the Ministry of Finance" and does not constitute officially verified endorsement.
Time basis and comparison basis: wherever a comparative term such as "up from" or "expanded" appears, the time basis is always "70 companies last year (2025) to about 80 companies this year (2026)," derived from the original text of PRTIMES#1641783: "expanded from 70 companies last year to about 80 this year." The 2025 results of over 500 advance bookings, about 100 general visitors and the 90-minute sellout likewise take that release's "last year" = 2025 as their basis. This card generates no growth rate, difference or total that is absent from the originals.
Definitions kept distinct: (i) "about 80 companies" is the organizer's planned figure ("about 80 companies planned"), not a confirmed count, and this site has not counted the list items itself; (ii) the list is headed "Exhibiting manufacturers," but the same release states "manufacturers and importers will exhibit" and the list contains non-alcohol business entries, so this card does not treat it as a list of manufacturers; (iii) Diageo's "worldwide bottle allocations" and Nishi Shuzo cask-strength whisky's "about 500 bottles worldwide / 8 bottles each in Japan" are separate allocations by different companies, for different products, from different releases, and this card does not add, convert or compare them; (iv) the base for MyVoice percentages is that survey's sample, not a national census.
Competition definitions: TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions; this card states each separately and never ranks or merges them. The SFWSC2026 name appears both in PRTIMES#1126667 (Japan, corporate release) and CNA#1231801 (Taiwan, CNA reporting of a Ministry of Finance press conference), but these are separate announcements by different entities; this card does not total their medals or compare them.
Same name, different company: "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ exhibitor list and "Yamaya Distillery Inc. / Yamaya Communications Inc." in PRTIMES#1295505 make no reference to one another anywhere in this card's two source texts; this site has found no link between them and they must not be treated as the same company. Likewise "Komasa Jyozo" on the list and "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co.," the lecturer affiliation in PRTIMES#1360053, are different corporate names and are not treated by this card as the same company.
Issuing entities: the issuing entity of PRTIMES#1266390 is morning glory Inc. (not Nishi Shuzo); the issuing entity of PRTIMES#1568300 is LOVE FM (Suntory is the special sponsor); PRTIMES#1630953 is a co-hosted announcement by ZIP-FM and the Aichi Sake Brewers Association. Citations follow the issuing entity in each case.
Scope of observation: the comparison in sections 3 and 4 is an observation within the range of the 17 Japanese PR TIMES releases and 2 CNA reports this card uses. Within this card's material, the Japanese side shows both a private tier (Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho's competition, qualifications and tasting fair [F-012]) and a public tier (the spirits appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau, see [F-022], though the issuing entity of that information is Kirishima Shuzo, not the bureau), while the Taiwan side shows only a public tier [F-011]. This card did not exhaustively search public or private bodies in either place, and the absence of something from this card must not be used to infer its non-existence; nor does this card assert any correspondence in rank between the two authorities or any institutional equivalence.
Tone: this card reports in neutral factual tone; it endorses no organizer or exhibitor, makes no recommendation, and contains no legal advice.

F-Units

F-001: ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026 outline — Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00, TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka), free for trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public, organized by Auric Co.

The organizer's release states: event name "ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026"; date and time Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00 (reception until 17:30); venue TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka); target "food-and-beverage trade visitors, general spirits enthusiasts"; fees "food-and-beverage trade visitors free (advance registration required) / general public 4,400 yen (original glass included)"; application deadline Tuesday, August 25, 2026; organizer Auric Co. (Nanotsu 5-8-6, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka). General tickets are handled by e+ and trade visitors apply via a Microsoft Forms advance application form. The release also carries 2 notices, "no admission for those under 20 years" and "drunk driving is prohibited by law; please use public transport" (reproduced here without any interpretation of law) [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Per Auric Co.'s announcement, the "ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026" runs on August 26, 2026 from 13:00 to 18:00 at TKP Elgala Hall 8F, Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka, free for food-and-beverage trade visitors and 4,400 yen for the general public.

source: PRTIMES#1641783
source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-22 10:00:02 JST (the timestamp carried in the source release; PR TIMES states times in Japan Standard Time); event scheduled 2026-08-26
caveat: Self-reported in the issuing entity's press release (official_statement here means the issuing entity's own statement, not a public authority); the event has not yet taken place as of this card's publication (see the Caveats section)

F-002: Scale — exhibitors from 70 companies last year (2025) to about 80 this year (2026); about 80 manufacturers and importers exhibiting (planned figure per the release)

The organizer's release states "about 80 manufacturers and importers will exhibit this year," and further states "expanded from 70 companies last year to about 80 this year" — that is, from 70 companies in 2025 to about 80 in 2026. The list is headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," so "about 80" is a planned figure [prtimes#1641783]. This card has not counted the list entries itself and generates no company count or growth rate absent from the original.

> Citable conclusion: Exhibitors at the ALLIQ tasting fair go from 70 companies in 2025 to about 80 companies in 2026 (a planned figure as carried in the organizer's release).

source: PRTIMES#1641783
source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Comparison basis = 70 companies last year (2025) versus about 80 companies this year (2026); release published 2026-07-22
caveat: "About 80" is a planned figure in the release, not a confirmed count; this site has not counted the list entries or calculated any growth rate; self-reported and unverified

F-003: 2025 results as carried in the release — over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, "5,000-yen gacha" sold out within 90 minutes of opening

The "2025 results" section of the organizer's release states: advance bookings "over 500 (a record high)"; general visitors "about 100"; the popular "5,000-yen gacha" sold out "within just 90 minutes of opening." The same release's "highlights on the day" section states that this year also features the "5,000-yen gacha: a special gacha packed with domestic and high-priced bottles (sold out in 90 minutes last year)," limited-quantity bottle sales, and separate sales of original glasses [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: The organizer's release records 2025 results of over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, and the "5,000-yen gacha" selling out 90 minutes after opening.

source: PRTIMES#1641783
source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Results refer to last year's (2025) edition; release published 2026-07-22
caveat: "A record high" is the organizer's own wording and this site has not checked any year-by-year series; advance bookings and actual attendance are different measures and this card does not combine them

F-004: Nature of the list — headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," yet the same release describes an importer-driven "trade-focused tasting fair," and the list includes non-alcohol-manufacturing entries such as USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan and a cigar business

The organizer's release opens by describing the event as "one of the largest trade-focused tasting fairs in Kyushu where carefully selected spirits handled by importers from around the world gather in one place," and states "food-and-beverage professionals may attend free of charge. Please make use of it as a reference for finding new menu items and for purchasing." The list at the foot, headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," contains entries including Sakurao B&D, Suntory, Kirin Beer, Asahi Beer, Sapporo Beer, Diageo Japan, MHD Moët Hennessy Diageo, Pernod Ricard Japan, Honbo Shuzo, Honbo Shoten, Mottox, Union Liquors, Takara Shuzo, Meidi-ya, Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery, Cordon Vert (Yamaya) and Komasa Jyozo, as well as USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan, AUN Smoke & Neu Enterprise (cigars), Auric (gacha machines) and Auric (bottles, glasses and water sales) [prtimes#1641783]. "one of the largest in Kyushu" is the organizer's own wording.

> Citable conclusion: The ALLIQ list is headed "Exhibiting manufacturers," yet the same release describes an importer-driven trade-focused tasting fair and the list includes entries for in-store music, commercial fixtures, non-alcoholic drinks and cigars.

source: PRTIMES#1641783
source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-22 (the list is the planned roster of "about 80 companies planned")
caveat: The list is reproduced from the main article; "one of the largest in Kyushu" and "trade-focused" are the organizer's own claims and this site has found no third-party basis for comparison; apart from parenthetical notes inside the release, this card makes no external determination of any entry's line of business

F-005: Mottox describes itself as "a liquor trading company founded in 1915" (established March 1954); Official Wine Partner of "NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026," October 16-18, 2026

The 2026-07-09 release of Mottox Inc. (head office Higashiosaka, Osaka; president Taisuke Teranishi) states that the company is "a liquor trading company founded in 1915," marking "110 years since founding in 2025," established March 1954 (founded September 1915), with business content "liquor trading company (imported wine, regional Japanese sake, shochu and awamori)" and a range covering "wine and food from 25 countries." The company participates as Official Wine Partner in "NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026," held October 16-18, 2026 in Karuizawa, Nagano; the release states the event plans participation by about 50 restaurants and about 50 chefs from across Japan, 2,500 seats on sale, ticket sales opening at noon on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, organized by the NoName Festival executive committee [prtimes#1376820]. The name Mottox appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Mottox, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, describes itself as a liquor trading company founded in 1915 (established March 1954) and serves as Official Wine Partner of the October 2026 NoName Festival in Karuizawa.

source: PRTIMES#1376820
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-09; event scheduled 2026-10-16 to 2026-10-18
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; the list match refers only to the name "Mottox" appearing on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, and the two releases make no reference to each other

F-006: Union Liquors signs an official import agency agreement in Japan with Sogrape and begins selling three brands from July 21, 2026

The 2026-07-21 release of Union Liquors Inc. (address Kasumigaseki 3-6-7, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; representative director Alfonso Martin; established September 26, 1987; business content "import and sale of wine, sherry, liqueurs, spirits and the like") states that it concluded an "official import agency agreement within Japan" with Sogrape, Portugal's largest winemaker, and began selling three brands — Sandeman, Mateus Rosé and Gazela — from July 21, 2026. The release states Sogrape was founded in 1942, operates in "more than 120 markets," and holds "19 wholly owned wineries and about 1,600 hectares of wholly owned vineyards"; Sandeman was founded in 1790 and in 1805 became the first in the world to brand its own mark onto wine casks [prtimes#1627902]. The name Union Liquors appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Union Liquors, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, announced on July 21, 2026 an official import agency agreement in Japan with Portugal's largest winemaker Sogrape and the start of sales of three brands the same day.

source: PRTIMES#1627902
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Agreement and sales start 2026-07-21 (release published the same day)
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; Sogrape's market count, winery count and vineyard area are all as carried in the release and unverified by this site

F-007: Meidi-ya begins handling "Cinzano" from September 1, 2026; the brand was acquired by the Caffo Group in 2025 (per the release)

The 2026-06-26 release of Meidi-ya Co. (head office Chuo-ku, Tokyo; president Taichiro Isono) states that from Tuesday, September 1, 2026 it will begin handling "Cinzano," a brand owned by Italy's Caffo Group; the products comprise three sparkling wines (Asti Spumante, Prosecco, Pinot Chardonnay) and two vermouths (Extra Dry, Rosso), all at open pricing. The release states Cinzano was established in Turin in the year 1757 by the brothers Carlo Stefano and Giovanni Giacomo; the Caffo Group was founded in 1915 and "in 2025 acquired the historic brand Cinzano, expanding its product categories"; Meidi-ya was founded in Yokohama in 1885 and its "Meidi-ya Store" chain currently operates 35 stores nationwide [prtimes#1219204]. The name Meidi-ya appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Meidi-ya, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, begins handling Cinzano — founded in 1757 — from September 1, 2026; the brand was acquired by the Caffo Group in 2025 (as carried in Meidi-ya's release).

source: PRTIMES#1219204
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Handling scheduled to begin 2026-09-01; release published 2026-06-26; brand acquisition year = 2025 (per the release)
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; "acquired in 2025" is Meidi-ya's description of the Caffo Group and this site has not verified it with that group

F-008: Diageo Japan's "Rare Series" launched July 7, 2026; the first collection of five carries worldwide allocations of 160-347 bottles and recommended retail prices of 160,000-960,000 yen excluding tax

The 2026-06-26 release of Diageo Japan Inc. (head office Minato-ku, Tokyo; a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK's Diageo) states that the new single malt Scotch whisky collection "Rare Series" went on sale Tuesday, July 7. The release states Diageo operates liquor brands in "more than 180 countries" and that the series is selected from "more than 29 working distilleries" plus ghost distilleries, out of "a stock of over 10 million casks." The first collection of five (age / worldwide bottle allocation / recommended retail price excluding tax): Blair Athol 1991 (34 years / 347 bottles / 160,000 yen), Caol Ila 1983 (42 years / 318 bottles / 460,000 yen), Clynelish 1983 (42 years / 160 bottles / 610,000 yen), Talisker 1992 (33 years / 331 bottles / 200,000 yen), Glenury Royal 1970 (55 years / 232 bottles / 960,000 yen, described in the release as "the oldest age statement in Diageo's history") [prtimes#1218348]. The name Diageo Japan appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, which also carries a separate entry for MHD Moët Hennessy Diageo [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Diageo Japan, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, launched five "Rare Series" bottles on July 7, 2026, with worldwide allocations of 160-347 bottles and recommended retail prices of 160,000-960,000 yen excluding tax.

source: PRTIMES#1218348
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: On sale 2026-07-07; release published 2026-06-26
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; bottle counts and prices are per-product figures that this card neither totals nor averages; not compared with any other company's limited allocations (see the Caveats section)

F-009: morning glory's release — cask-strength whisky from Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery with art labels by Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang; four variants at about 500 bottles worldwide per specification and 8 bottles each for Japan

The 2026-06-30 release of morning glory Inc. (head office Tokyo; representative director Daisuke Tezuka; the issuing entity is morning glory, not Nishi Shuzo) states that a limited collaboration whisky combining Japanese whisky from the Ontake Distillery operated by Nishi Shuzo Co. with art by Taiwan's Hsieh Yi-chang was published on the CAMPFIRE crowdfunding platform from Saturday, June 27, 2026. The release states it uses whisky from "extremely rare non-seasoned sherry casks carrying 30 to 40 years," bottled at "cask strength with no water added whatsoever"; bottles come in four variants themed "earth, water, fire, wind," each sold at "about 500 bottles worldwide per specification, with only 8 bottles per specification sold within Japan, serial-numbered." The release states the Ontake Distillery began distilling in 2019 on high ground overlooking Sakurajima (formerly named Ontake) in Kagoshima, and that its parent Nishi Shuzo has "about 200 years" of history in shochu making. Hsieh Yi-chang is described as born in 1949 in Hsinchu, Taiwan, a 1969 graduate of the National Taiwan Academy of Arts Department of Fine Arts and Crafts, and chairman of the China Art Designers Association from 1982. The release attributes the project's background to Chang Ching-ching, founder of the Taiwanese whisky museum "Chief Whisky" (described as connecting Japan and Taiwan for more than 38 years with over 600 visits to Japan), produced by the museum's president Adam [prtimes#1266390]. The name "Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery" appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Per morning glory's release of 2026-06-30, the limited collaboration whisky pairing Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery cask-strength whisky with Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang comes in four variants at about 500 bottles worldwide per specification and 8 bottles each within Japan.

source: PRTIMES#1266390
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: CAMPFIRE publication 2026-06-27; release published 2026-06-30
caveat: The issuing entity is morning glory, not Nishi Shuzo; "about 500 bottles," "8 bottles each," "about 200 years" and "over 600 visits" are all self-reported in that release and unverified by this site; the crowdfunding project's final outcome is not yet verifiable (see the P-Units section)

F-010: Blanton's and Blanton's Straight From The Barrel, imported and sold by Takara Shuzo, won Double Gold at SFWSC2026 (as carried in the company's release)

The 2026-06-19 release of Takara Shuzo Co. states that the bourbon whiskeys "Blanton's" and "Blanton's Straight From The Barrel," which the company imports and sells, won Double Gold at the "San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) 2026," and that "Blanton's Gold" won Silver. The release describes the SFWSC as "one of the largest and most international spirits competitions in the United States, held every year in San Francisco since its founding in 2000," with Double Gold the title given to entries "unanimously judged by the panel to merit a gold medal." Product specifications: Blanton's 46.5% ABV / 750ml / reference retail price 18,000 yen excluding tax; Straight From The Barrel 66% / 33,000 yen (limited sales channel); Gold 51.5% / 27,000 yen [prtimes#1126667]. The name Takara Shuzo appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Takara Shuzo, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, announced that "Blanton's" and "Blanton's Straight From The Barrel," which it imports and sells, won Double Gold at SFWSC2026.

source: PRTIMES#1126667
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-06-19 (SFWSC2026 results)
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; the SFWSC is a different competition from the TWSC and the IWSC and this card makes no ranking between them; not merged or totaled with the Taiwanese medal counts in CNA#1231801 (see the Caveats section)

F-011: CNA report — certified spirits nominated by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration took 12 medals at the SFWSC with a 100% award rate, reaching 28 medals including self-entered producers; quality liquor certification promoted since ROC year 92, with 296 products across 53 production lines certified

CNA reported on 2026-06-25 (reporter Lu Yen-tzu): the National Treasury Administration of the Ministry of Finance held its regular press conference that day, at which deputy director-general Ma Hsiao-hui said the administration had nominated certified spirits for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and "set a record of a 100% award rate for nominated entries," winning 5 double gold, 2 gold and 5 silver medals for 12 in total; adding producers' self-entered products' 3 double gold, 6 gold, 5 silver and 2 bronze, "28 medals have been won so far, with results and awards still being announced in sequence." The report states King Car Group was the biggest winner with 13 medals and its "Kavalan Solist FINO Sherry Cask" took double gold for a third consecutive edition; Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation's "Single Malt Whisky (Sherry Dried Fruit)" took double gold; Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor took 6 medals; and Nantou County Xinyi Township Farmers' Association's "Wild" and "Soft Water" (Taiwanese yellow plums) and Taichung City Wufeng District Farmers' Association's "Chuwu Shochu" and "Zuifeng .46" (Wufeng fragrant rice) drew recognition from international judges. The administration explained that the Quality Liquor Certification scheme has been promoted since ROC year 92, that producers must pass qualification review, on-site assessment and product sampling before using the "W"-shaped quality certification mark, and that 296 domestic products across 53 production lines are currently certified [cna#1231801].

> Citable conclusion: Per CNA's 2026-06-25 report, certified spirits nominated by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration won 12 medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition with a 100% award rate, reaching 28 medals including self-entered producers; the Quality Liquor Certification scheme has run since ROC year 92 and 296 products across 53 production lines are certified.

source: CNA#1231801
source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606250258.aspx
confidence: medium
basis: news_aggregation
period: Press conference and report date 2026-06-25; competition = SFWSC (the report notes results are still being announced in sequence)
caveat: As reported by CNA; this site has not verified with the Ministry of Finance and this does not constitute officially verified endorsement; never merged with or ranked against any Japanese competition figure (see the Caveats section)

F-012: Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (established March 2001) lists TWSC operation, qualification certification, specialist-magazine publishing, festival operation and production consulting among its business content; sold a commemorative bottle with Honbo Shuzo's president to members only from 2026-07-08

The company profile in the 2026-07-06 release of Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (head office Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; representative director Mamoru Tsuchiya; established March 2001) lists its business content word-for-word as: "editing and publishing Whisky Galore / editing and publishing textbooks for the Whisky Connoisseur qualification examination / writing and supervising whisky-related books / planning and operating whisky festivals / planning and operating the Whisky Connoisseur qualification examination / operating the Whisky Kentei examination / operating the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) / consulting including production advice and technical guidance for whisky." The same release states that a special collaboration bottle marking the 72nd birthdays of representative Mamoru Tsuchiya and Honbo Shuzo Co. president Kazuto Honbo — "Umah!! 72 Tsuchiya x Honbo Commemorative Bottle" — went on sale to Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho members only through the official online shop from 12:00 on July 8, 2026, at 17,600 yen including tax (shipping extra), with 50 bottles offered, 246 bottles in total, 50% ABV, 700ml, limit one per person [prtimes#1337495]. The names "Honbo Shuzo" and "Honbo Shoten" appear on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. states in its own release that its business content simultaneously includes operating the TWSC, qualification examinations, specialist-magazine publishing, tasting-festival planning and operation, and technical consulting for producers; from 2026-07-08 it sold a collaboration bottle with Honbo Shuzo's president to members only (17,600 yen including tax, 50 bottles offered).

source: PRTIMES#1337495
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-06; sales began 2026-07-08 12:00; established March 2001 (per the release)
caveat: Self-reported in the company profile of its own press release; this card records only the two facts visible in the text — the concentration of functions and the collaboration product — and does not evaluate legitimacy, asserts no conflict of interest and infers no motive; ⚠️ the same release carries both a short form and a full form — its lead paragraph reads "head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; representative: Mamoru Tsuchiya," while the [Company profile] box at the foot reads "head office address: Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo … (street number omitted)" and "representative director: Mamoru Tsuchiya." The full address carried in the release is "Hiroo, Shibuya-ku," so the two forms point to the same location and are not contradictory; the titles are likewise a short form and a formal form. This card reproduces whichever paragraph it quotes at each point and does not unify them or adjudicate which is authoritative

F-013: Akkeshi Distillery won Best of the Best, the Japan Grand Prix and a Best Category award at TWSC2026; the TWSC executive committee is chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya (per the release)

The 2026-07-17 release of Akkeshi Distillery, Whisky Division, Kenten Jitsugyo Co. (head office Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; representative director Keiichi Toita) states that at the "Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition 2026 (TWSC2026)," "Akkeshi Single Malt Japanese Whisky Hanaguhashi Karinpani" won Best of the Best, the Japan Grand Prix and a Best Category award; "Akkeshi Blended Whisky Kaki no Komoriuta Launched2025" won Gold and a Best Design award; and six other products won Gold or Silver (three Gold: Shosho, Toji, Rikka; three Silver: Kapacchiri Kamuy, Yatotta Kamuy, Shimofuri). The release describes the TWSC as "a spirits competition boasting one of the largest scales of entries in Asia, judging whiskies and spirits from around the world with the delicate palate cultivated by Japanese culture," and states it is "hosted by the TWSC executive committee chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya." Karinpani is 700ml at 55% ABV, a blend of whiskies matured in sherry, mizunara (Japanese oak) and cherry casks; the release states the Akkeshi Distillery began whisky production in October 2016 [prtimes#1572591]. The names Akkeshi Distillery and Kenten Jitsugyo do not appear on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Per Akkeshi Distillery's release, "Hanaguhashi Karinpani" won Best of the Best, the Japan Grand Prix and a Best Category award at TWSC2026; the same release states the TWSC executive committee is chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya.

source: PRTIMES#1572591
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-17 (TWSC2026 results)
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; "one of the largest scales of entries in Asia" is the release's wording and this site has found no basis for the entry count; the TWSC is a different competition from the SFWSC and the IWSC and is not ranked against them (see the Caveats section)

F-014: "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo," November 6-7, 2026, Tokyo International Forum, admission 3,500-5,000 yen including tax, 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days), general sales open at noon on 2026-08-26

The 2026-07-08 release of Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. states that the "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo" will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 6-7, 2026 at Tokyo International Forum Hall E. The schedule is Friday, November 6, Premium Night 17:00-19:30; Saturday, November 7, first session 10:00-13:30 and second session 14:30-18:00, in an irregular three-session format with complete audience turnover. Admission is 3,500 yen including tax for the Premium Night and 5,000 yen including tax for each of the first and second sessions. Attendance is "capped at 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days)." Tickets are sold through "CLOUD PASS," with general sales opening at noon on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 and member pre-sales of 400 tickets per session from noon on Wednesday, August 19. Five tasting seminars run on November 7 at 5,000 yen including tax each, with lecturers listed as Hiromi Ozaki (senior blender, Nikka Whisky), Shinji Fukuyo (chief blender, Suntory), Takuya Iwahashi (blender, Kenten Jitsugyo) and others [prtimes#1360053].

> Citable conclusion: The "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo," organized by Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho, runs November 6-7, 2026 at Tokyo International Forum with admission of 3,500-5,000 yen including tax and attendance capped at 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days).

source: PRTIMES#1360053
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-08; general ticket sales open 2026-08-26 at noon; event scheduled 2026-11-06 to 2026-11-07
caveat: Planned figures self-reported in the company's own press release; lecturer affiliations are reproduced from the release text, among which "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co." is a different corporate name from "Komasa Jyozo" on the ALLIQ list and is not treated by this card as the same company (see the Caveats section)

F-015: "IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES 2026 in FUKUOKA," July 24-26, 2026, Tenjin Central Park, free admission, organized by LOVE FM with Suntory as special sponsor

LOVE FM's 2026-07-17 release states that "IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES 2026 in FUKUOKA" runs Friday, July 24, 2026, 16:00-21:30; Saturday, July 25, 11:00-21:30; and Sunday, July 26, 11:00-20:30 at Tenjin Central Park (Tenjin 1-1, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka), with free admission, held rain or shine, and described in the release as "a memorable fifth edition." Organizer LOVE FM; cooperation RKB; support Fukuoka City; special sponsor Suntory. Drinks include Jim Beam highball with soda, cola and apple variants, priced at 300 yen including tax for regular size and 500 yen including tax for mega size. Food comes from the venue-exclusive "IRIE Nangoku Shokudo" with 17 stalls in total; official T-shirts are 4,000 yen and official towels 2,300 yen including tax. The release states the Jim Beam distillery was established in the year 1795 and that the brand is "drunk in more than 120 countries, the world's number one bourbon by sales. 2025 sales volume (per IMPACT NEWSLETTER March 1&15 2026 issue)" [prtimes#1568300]. The name Suntory appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: In the same Fukuoka Tenjin district, the Jim Beam Summer Fes held at Tenjin Central Park on July 24-26, 2026 is a free-admission, single-brand special-sponsorship model (organized by LOVE FM with Suntory as special sponsor).

source: PRTIMES#1568300
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Event 2026-07-24 to 2026-07-26; release published 2026-07-17; the "world's number one by sales" claim refers to 2025 sales volume (source cited in the release: IMPACT NEWSLETTER March 1&15 2026 issue)
caveat: The issuing entity is LOVE FM (Suntory is the special sponsor); "world's number one bourbon by sales" is a third-party citation carried in the release and this site has not verified that source

F-016: "Aki Sake Matsuri" — Aichi on October 3-4, 2026 (27 breweries exhibiting; organized by the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and ZIP-FM, co-hosted since 2017); Gifu on October 24-25, 2026 (30 breweries from the prefecture; started in 2023, fourth edition)

The 2026-07-21 release from ZIP-FM and the Aichi Sake Brewers Association states that "Aki Sake Matsuri Aichi - AUTUMN SAKE FEST 2026" runs Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, 2026, 11:00-20:30 at the Edion Hisaya Plaza special venue inside Hisaya-odori Park (Naka-ku, Nagoya), organized by the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and ZIP-FM (the release describes it as "a local sake event co-hosted by ZIP-FM and the Aichi Sake Brewers Association since 2017"), with support from Chunichi Shimbun and Nagoya City; 27 breweries from Aioi Univio through Yamamori Shuzo exhibit (roster carried in the release). "Aki Sake Matsuri Gifu - Intoxicated by Gifu's Local Sake 2026" runs Saturday and Sunday, October 24-25, 2026 at Kogane Park (Kogane-cho 5-7, Gifu City), organized by the Gifu Prefecture Sake Brewers Association Federation and ZIP-FM, described in the release as having "started in 2023" and reaching its "fourth edition in 2026," with 30 breweries from the prefecture gathering. Both require the purchase of a starter set containing 10 items (food-and-drink coins) plus an original sake cup and a wristband to participate [prtimes#1630953].

> Citable conclusion: The comparable local-sake tasting event "Aki Sake Matsuri" is co-hosted by industry associations (the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and the Gifu Prefecture Sake Brewers Association Federation) and radio station ZIP-FM, with 27 breweries at the Aichi venue and 30 prefectural breweries at the Gifu venue.

source: PRTIMES#1630953
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-21; events scheduled Aichi 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-04 and Gifu 2026-10-24 to 2026-10-25
caveat: Planned figures self-reported by the organizers; this is a different organizer and a different event format from ALLIQ, and this card's juxtaposition serves only to contrast types of organizing entity, not to compare scale

F-017: REM Inc. (813KAGA) exclusively supplied whisky at the BCCJ-hosted "The Great British Summer Bash 2026" on 2026-07-16, with about 150 attendees

The 2026-07-22 release of REM Inc. (liquor sales brand 813KAGA; representative director Akihito Kagasaki) states that at "The Great British Summer Bash 2026," hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) on July 16, 2026 from 19:00 to 21:00 on the 3rd floor of Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, the company participated as an event sponsor and "exclusively supplied the whisky served at the venue." The release states that "about 150 people from companies and organizations connected to the UK and Japan attended on the day." A special video message from co-founder and 2009 Formula One world champion Jenson Button was screened. The product is Coachbuilt Whisky Build No.001, a blended Scotch whisky, 700ml, 46% ABV; the release states the co-founders are Button and whisky specialist George Koutsakis [prtimes#1641518].

> Citable conclusion: REM Inc. (813KAGA) participated as a sponsor at a BCCJ-hosted event on July 16, 2026 and exclusively supplied the whisky, with about 150 attendees (as carried in the company's release).

source: PRTIMES#1641518
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Event 2026-07-16; release published 2026-07-22
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; "about 150" is an approximate figure in the release; the company has no connection to the ALLIQ exhibitor list and is cited here as a contrast of organizing-entity types

F-018: Kuju Distillery (Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd.) launches "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01" on July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml, suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax

The 2026-07-15 release of Kuju Distillery, Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd. (head office in Kuju-machi, Taketa City, Oita; president Shoji Utoda; founded in the early Taisho era and incorporated in 1992) states that the first release in the new "tabi" series, "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01," goes on sale Friday, July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml (in carton), suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax, completing a trilogy after "sora" and "michi." The production manager and blender is Yutaka Takeishi. The release describes the distillery as "the only craft whisky distillery in Oita Prefecture, and rare nationwide in having been founded by a liquor retailer," at an altitude of about 600 meters, with awards listed as "gold, silver and bronze at TWSC, WWA and ISC" [prtimes#1504932]. The company's name does not appear on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Oita's Kuju Distillery (Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd.) was founded by a liquor retailer, and its "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01" launches July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml, suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax.

source: PRTIMES#1504932
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: On sale 2026-07-31; release published 2026-07-15
caveat: Self-reported in the company's own press release; "the only in Oita Prefecture" and "rare nationwide" are the release's own claims and are unverified by this site; cited as an individual case of a distillery founded by a party whose core business is not whisky, with no trend claim

F-019: Yamaya Distillery (a group company of Yamaya Communications) won gold at IWSC2026 for its "Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu" — warning: not the same company as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list

The 2026-07-02 release of Yamaya Distillery Inc. (head office Sanno 10029, Saito City, Miyazaki; president Masahide Yamamoto) states that the company is a group company of Yamaya Communications Inc. (head office Irodoridai 1-1, Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka; president Masahide Yamamoto; business content "manufacture and sale of spicy cod roe; processing, manufacture and sale of marine and general food products; restaurant business"), and that at the 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) its "Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu" won gold while "CRAZY OCTOPUS" and "eau-de-vie de FRAISE" won silver. Product specifications: Kame-jikomi Umeshu 720ml / 14,300 yen including tax / 22% ABV (five years in kame jars, Nanko plums from Tsuno-cho, Miyazaki); CRAZY OCTOPUS 720ml / 2,420 yen including tax / 25% ABV; eau-de-vie de FRAISE 720ml / 4,950 yen including tax / 37% ABV (25% Amaou strawberries from Fukuoka). The release describes the IWSC as "founded in the UK in 1969," and states Yamaya Distillery was born in the early Meiji era in the Yoshida district of Saito City, Miyazaki as "Yoshida no shochu" [prtimes#1295505]. Warning: this company and "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783] make no reference to one another in either source text; this site has found no link between them and they must not be treated as the same company.

> Citable conclusion: Yamaya Distillery, a group company of Yamaya Communications (spicy cod roe business), won one gold and two silver medals at IWSC2026; it is not the same company as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, and this site has found no link between them.

source: PRTIMES#1295505
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-07-02 (IWSC2026 results)
caveat: Strong same-name-different-company warning: this item has no connection to "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list; the IWSC is a different competition from the TWSC and the SFWSC and is not ranked against them; self-reported in the company's press release and unverified by this site

F-020: MyVoice ninth "shochu drinking" survey (2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07, sample of 10,742 respondents) — sweet-potato shochu 54.3%, barley shochu 41.3%, with sweet-potato shochu high in Kyushu

The 2026-07-17 release of MyVoice Communications Inc. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; president Shintaro Shimizu) states that its ninth internet survey on "shochu drinking" was conducted June 1-7, 2026 with 10,742 respondents (an internet survey, i.e. a sample, not a census). Results: a little over 30% drink shochu; among shochu drinkers, types consumed in the past year (multiple answers) were "sweet-potato shochu" 54.3% and "barley shochu" 41.3%, with the release stating "sweet-potato shochu is high in Kyushu and low in Hokkaido and Tohoku" and "barley shochu is somewhat high in Chugoku and low in Hokkaido and Kyushu"; the most preferred serve was "mizuwari" at 20.3%, with "on the rocks," "with hot water" and "citrus flavor plus soda" each in the 10% range; priorities when choosing (multiple answers) were "taste" 60.7%, "ease of drinking" 40.5% and "price" 36.3%; a little over 40% intend to drink shochu going forward, rising above 80% among those who drink it two to three days a month or more. The release requires the citation "MyVoice survey" [prtimes#1579183].

> Citable conclusion: MyVoice's survey of June 1-7, 2026 (10,742 respondents, a sample) found that among shochu drinkers, types consumed in the past year were sweet-potato shochu 54.3% and barley shochu 41.3%, with sweet-potato shochu showing a higher share in Kyushu.

source: PRTIMES#1579183
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Survey period 2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07; release published 2026-07-17
caveat: A sample survey, not a census — percentages have as their base the survey's 10,742 respondents (for some items, the shochu drinkers among them) and must not be extrapolated to the whole population; citation as "MyVoice survey" is required by the release

F-021: CNA report — the Grand Hotel's 2026 state banquet whisky uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt as its core base, with just over 60% sold in the four days after its June 1 launch

CNA reported on 2026-06-04 (reporter Yu Hsiao-han) that the Grand Hotel released a limited "Grandeur: 2026 Grand Hotel State Banquet Whisky" this year, inspired overall by the "Golden Dragon Rooms" newly reopened in 2026. The hotel said that since the state banquet whisky launched on June 1, "just over 60% has now sold." The liquid uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Corporation's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt whisky as its core base, harmonized through multiple oak cask maturation — Scottish and Dutch bourbon casks as the main body, supplemented by Irish bourbon casks and new Australian oak casks for layering, with Puli passion fruit casks and Changhua lychee wine casks drawing out delicate fruit aromas, and finally 10-year bourbon casks and 15-year PX sherry casks deepening the flavor; the label centers on the "Golden Dragon Fountain." The same report notes that Ever Rich duty-free again partnered with Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor on two duty-free channel exclusives, including "Master Distiller Aged Kinmen Kaoliang" made from spirits aged more than 10 years [cna#690678].

> Citable conclusion: Per CNA's 2026-06-04 report, the Grand Hotel's 2026 state banquet whisky uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt as its core base, and just over 60% had sold in the four days after its June 1 launch.

source: CNA#690678
source_url: https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202606040297.aspx
confidence: medium
basis: news_aggregation
period: Launch 2026-06-01; report date 2026-06-04 ("four days" = from the report date back to the launch date)
caveat: CNA relaying the Grand Hotel's own statement; not independently verified by this site; "just over 60%" is a business's self-reported sales share with no absolute volume; never merged with any Japanese sales figure

F-022: Kirishima Shuzo's Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal," and was selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one per prefecture across four prefectures (that division and class drew 433 entries from 192 production sites, with 117 Awards of Excellence)

Kirishima Shuzo Co. (head office Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki; president Kunitake Enatsu) announced on 2026-04-24 that its Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal," and was also selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one brewery per prefecture across the four target prefectures (Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Oita); the entered brand was "KIRISHIMA No.8." The release states the appraisal is "held for the purpose of advancing and developing brewing technology and improving quality through quality assessment of the sake and shochu produced," and that the authentic shochu division has three classes: the standard class (25% ABV), the soda-mixed class, and the challenge class (35% ABV and above). Per the release, this edition's authentic shochu division, standard class drew 433 items from 192 production sites with 117 records of an Award of Excellence, of which Miyazaki Prefecture accounted for 105 items from 49 production sites with 31 records of an Award of Excellence. The same release states that "KIRISHIMA No.8" launched first in the Tokyo metropolitan area on February 14, 2023 and went nationwide on July 8, 2024, with cumulative sales of its 490ml and 900ml bottles passing 760,000 bottles (as of the end of March 2026); and that Kirishima Shuzo was founded in May 1916, established in March 2014, with founder Kichisuke Enatsu, sales of 52,540.62 million yen (fiscal year ended March 2025) and 642 employees (full-time only, as of April 2025) [prtimes#208966]. The name Kirishima Shuzo appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783].

> Citable conclusion: Kirishima Shuzo, named on the ALLIQ exhibitor list, had its Shihida Extension Plant win an Award of Excellence at the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal (authentic shochu division, standard class) and be selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one brewery per prefecture across Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Oita (as carried in the company's release).

source: PRTIMES#208966
source_url: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000035.000053434.html
confidence: medium
basis: official_statement
period: Release published 2026-04-24 (appraisal = Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal; cumulative sales figure as of end of March 2026; results for fiscal year ended March 2025; headcount as of April 2025)
caveat: The issuing entity is Kirishima Shuzo's press release, not an announcement by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau — the appraisal's name, entry counts and award counts are all as carried in the company's release, this site has not verified them with the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau, and they must not be treated as officially verified endorsement; this item concerns a different competition from the TWSC, IWSC and SFWSC and is not ranked against them (see the Caveats section)

J-Units

J-001: Zero verified official anchors — 17 of the 19 sources are PR TIMES press releases (self-reported by each issuing entity) and 2 are CNA reports; this card contains no verified public data

This card's official_count_verified = 0. The 17 PR TIMES items belong to 16 organizations as distinct issuing entities (Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho issued 2 releases; the ZIP-FM / Aichi Sake Brewers Association co-issued release and the Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications jointly issued release are each counted as a single issuing entity) and are each that entity's first-party self-reported information, providing no independent corroboration of one another. The two CNA items are third-party media reports; of these, CNA#1231801 relays the content of a regular press conference by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance, but remains "as reported by CNA; this site has not verified with the Ministry of Finance" and cannot be treated as officially verified endorsement. Note in particular: although PRTIMES#208966 carries an award at an appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau, the issuing entity is Kirishima Shuzo, not the bureau, and this site has not verified with the bureau, so it likewise does not constitute officially verified endorsement. Every figure in this card (about 80 companies / 70 companies / over 500 people / about 100 people / 90 minutes / 4,400 yen / 300 yen / 500 yen / 347 bottles / 318 bottles / 160 bottles / 331 bottles / 232 bottles / 160,000-960,000 yen / about 500 bottles / 8 bottles each / 12,000 yen / 14,300 yen / 17,600 yen / 2,200 attendees / 6,600 attendees / 10,742 respondents / 54.3% / 41.3% / 12 medals / 28 medals / 13 medals / 6 medals / 296 products across 53 production lines / 192 production sites / 433 entries / 117 awards / 31 awards / 760,000 bottles, and so on) is "as carried in the respective release" or "as reported by CNA," and this caveat must accompany any citation of this card's content.

confidence: high
basis: official_statement

J-002: Same name, different company, pinned — "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" is not "Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications"; "Komasa Jyozo" is not "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co."

"Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ exhibitor list [prtimes#1641783] and "Yamaya Distillery Inc." (Saito City, Miyazaki) with its parent "Yamaya Communications Inc." (Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka; spicy cod roe business) in PRTIMES#1295505 make no reference to one another anywhere in this card's two source texts. This site has found no link between them, so they must not be treated as the same company, and in particular it must never be written that "exhibitor Yamaya won an award." Likewise, "Komasa Jyozo" on the list and "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co.," the lecturer affiliation in PRTIMES#1360053, are different corporate names and are not treated by this card as the same company. These two cases are the "most error-prone points when reading the list" that this card sets out, and are themselves the reading risk of a list treated as a structural document.

confidence: high
basis: official_statement

J-003: Linkage layers — which relationship layer each source occupies in this card

ADD_EVIDENCE (providing verifiable evidence of each company's own actions in relation to the main article's list): PRTIMES#1627902 (Union Liquors), PRTIMES#1219204 (Meidi-ya), PRTIMES#1218348 (Diageo Japan), PRTIMES#1126667 (Takara Shuzo), PRTIMES#1376820 (Mottox), PRTIMES#1266390 (description of Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery as producer; issuing entity is morning glory), PRTIMES#208966 (Kirishima Shuzo). The shared condition for these seven is that the company's name appears on the ALLIQ exhibitor list; the paired releases make no reference to one another, so this card matches names only and asserts no partnership or causal relationship. CONNECT (same event type, same structural position): PRTIMES#1568300 (same Fukuoka Tenjin district, B2C contrast), PRTIMES#1360053 (same tasting-fair format, contrast of organizing entity), PRTIMES#1630953 (same tasting-fair format, industry-association organizer contrast), PRTIMES#1641518 (contrast of the event-sponsorship type). CONTEXTUALIZE (background, not the same event): PRTIMES#1572591 (TWSC2026 and its executive committee chair), PRTIMES#1337495 (business scope of the competition-operating entity), PRTIMES#1504932 (case of a distillery founded outside the core business), PRTIMES#1295505 (same, with the same-name warning attached), PRTIMES#1579183 (demand-side sample), CNA#1231801 (Taiwan's certification and competition scheme), CNA#690678 (Taiwan's own whisky supply side). CHALLENGE (verifiable counter-evidence against the main article's own wording): section 1 of these 8 body sections points out the gap between the main article's list heading "Exhibiting manufacturers" and both the same release's text "manufacturers and importers will exhibit" and the list's actual entries (USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan and others). All evidence for this CHALLENGE comes from the main article's own text [prtimes#1641783] and involves no external inference.

confidence: high
basis: official_statement

J-004: The competitions are not commensurable — TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions; this card states each on its own and forbids ranking or merging

Three competition names appear in this card: TWSC2026 (described in the releases as hosted by the TWSC executive committee chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya and operated by Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. [prtimes#1572591][prtimes#1337495]), the IWSC (described in the release as founded in the UK in 1969 [prtimes#1295505]) and the SFWSC (described in the release as founded in 2000 and held annually in San Francisco [prtimes#1126667]). The three differ in entry pool, judging method and award names, and each source release states only its own results without any cross-competition comparison. This card strictly forbids combining any two of them in one sentence, totaling them, or comparing them for superiority. The SFWSC2026 name appears both in a Japanese corporate press release and in CNA's reporting of a Taiwanese Ministry of Finance press conference, but these are separate announcements by different entities, and this card neither totals nor compares them.

confidence: high
basis: official_statement

J-005: Scope of observation — the public/private two-tier comparison is an observation within this card's 19 sources; it cannot support an inference that either side lacks a scheme, and it asserts no institutional equivalence

The comparison in sections 3 and 4 of this card takes as its base the 17 Japanese PR TIMES releases and 2 CNA reports actually used here, making it an observation within that range. Within this card's material, the Japanese side has both a private tier (Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc.'s TWSC operation, qualification certification, specialist magazine and large tasting fair [F-012]) and a public tier (the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal [F-022]), while the Taiwan side shows only a public tier (the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance [F-011]). This card did not exhaustively search public or private bodies in either place, and the absence of a tier from this card's material must not be used to infer that the tier does not exist — in particular, it must not be inferred that "Taiwan has no private spirits-appraisal system" or that "Japan's public tier is limited to the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau." How the two authorities correspond in rank, and whether the schemes are institutionally equivalent, are matters this card has not verified and does not assert. Likewise, the Taiwanese scheme described in CNA#1231801 is only what that CNA report carries and this site has not verified it with the Ministry of Finance; and the issuing entity of the appraisal information in PRTIMES#208966 is Kirishima Shuzo, not the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau, which this site has not contacted for verification. The "three cases of distilleries founded by parties whose core business is not whisky" in section 7 are three cases only and constitute no claim about an industry trend; the regional differences in PRTIMES#1579183 are the result of a sample survey and must not be combined with those three cases to infer any causation.

confidence: high
basis: official_statement

P-Units

P-001: The actual number of exhibitors at the ALLIQ tasting fair on August 26, 2026, actual attendance (trade visitors versus general public) and whether the "5,000-yen gacha" sells out again — not checked by this site; verifiable after the event (open) ### P-002: Ticket sales performance for the "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo" after general sales open at noon on 2026-08-26, and whether actual attendance on 2026-11-06 and 2026-11-07 reaches the stated cap of 2,200 per session and 6,600 planned across two days — not checked by this site (open) ### P-003: The complete SFWSC2026 award list (CNA's 2026-06-25 report states results and awards are still being announced in sequence) and Taiwan's final medal total — not checked by this site (open) ### P-004: The final outcome of the morning glory x Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery CAMPFIRE project (published 2026-06-27) and the actual shipment results for "about 500 bottles worldwide / 8 bottles each in Japan" — not checked by this site (open) ### P-005: Subsequent channel rollout for Union Liquors' three Sogrape brands (sales from 2026-07-21) and Meidi-ya's Cinzano (handling from 2026-09-01) — to be tracked against the timelines carried in each release (open)

Three Perspectives on the Same Event / 同事件・三視角 / 同一イベント・三つの視点

Internal Citation Chain (linking back to published cards)

This card links back to four previously published cards on this site:

CONNECT → ANK-2026-07-21-002 "K-1 DONTAKU 2026 (July 20, 2026, Fukuoka) streamed on five overseas platforms; titles change hands in two divisions — the same five-platform-by-territory lineup has now been used at three straight events since April's GENKI (per K-1 Executive Committee press releases; not independently verified by this site)" (published 2026-07-21) → Relationship: likewise an event held in Fukuoka, likewise primary material from an organizer's press release, and likewise handled under the caveat "as carried in the organizer's own release; not independently verified by this site." That card treats the streaming structure of a combat-sports event in Fukuoka; this card treats the liquor trade-negotiation structure in Fukuoka; both record the limits of citing organizer-reported scale figures. Links: zh / ja / en
CONNECT → ANK-2026-07-17-002 "eiicon's 2026-07-16 update release for 'OI SUMMIT 2026': KDDI Chairman 髙橋誠 confirmed as a speaker; 19 sponsor companies and 7 Supporting Partner organizations newly join (relative to the lineup before that release, as carried in the announcement) …" (published 2026-07-20) → Relationship: the same kind of worked example of handling an organizer-announced expansion in lineup counts. That card pinned "19 newly joining companies" to the basis "relative to the lineup existing before that release"; this card likewise pins "about 80 companies" to the basis "from 70 companies in 2025 to about 80 companies in 2026, a planned figure as carried in the release." Links: zh / ja / en
CONTEXTUALIZE → ANK-2026-06-18-001 "China Crashes 60%, Taiwan Surges to No.2 Record High: The Structural Mismatch of Taiwan-Japan Tourism in May 2026 — Hot One Way, Cold Both Ways" (published 2026-06-25) → Relationship: that card records the directional asymmetry of people flows between Taiwan and Japan; section 8 of this card records the two-way flow of spirits and collecting between them (Taiwanese artists and a collecting institution involved in a Kyushu distillery's limited release [F-009] versus Taiwan making a state banquet whisky on its own Nantou Distillery base [F-021]). Note that the main article makes no mention whatsoever of inbound travelers to Japan, and this card asserts no connection between the ALLIQ tasting fair and inbound visitors; the link here is thematic context only, not the same event, and involves no causal inference. Links: zh / ja / en
CONTEXTUALIZE → ANK-2026-06-02-056 "Japan Food Inflation 2026: Food Price Hikes Reach 11,157 Items, Above 10,000 for a Fifth Straight Year (Teikoku Databank); 5kg Rice Average Falls to 3,179 Yen, About 25% Below Peak ⇄ Taiwan CPI 2.2%, Retail and Dining Hit May Records" (published 2026-06-28) → Relationship: this card's main article states plainly that the tasting fair is open free to food-and-beverage trade visitors and is intended "as a reference for finding new menu items and for purchasing" [F-001][F-004], making it a restaurant procurement venue; that card supplies verifiable background on Japan's 2026 food and beverage price environment. Note that no causal inference is drawn between the two cards (this card does not claim that price increases are why a free tasting fair is held); the link is procurement-side context only. Links: zh / ja / en

FAQ

Q: When and where is the ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026, and how much does it cost to attend?

Per the 2026-07-22 PR TIMES release from the organizer, Auric Co.: Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00 (reception until 17:30), at TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka). The target audience is food-and-beverage trade visitors and general spirits enthusiasts. Admission is free for trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public (original glass included), with applications closing Tuesday, August 25, 2026. All of the above is as carried in the organizer's own release and is not independently verified by this site [prtimes#1641783].

Q: Are there more exhibitors this year than last year, and is the figure reliable?

The organizer's release states the fair "expanded from 70 companies last year to about 80 this year," that is, from 70 companies in 2025 to about 80 companies in 2026 [prtimes#1641783]. Two caveats are essential: (i) the list is headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," so "about 80 companies" is a planned figure, not a confirmed count; (ii) this site has not counted the list items itself and has calculated no growth rate or difference. The figure is as carried in the organizer's release and is not independently verified by this site (see the Caveats section).

Q: Is this a consumer tasting event or a trade procurement floor?

Per the main article's text, both audiences are addressed, but the pricing leans toward the trade: free for food-and-beverage trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public [prtimes#1641783]. The main article describes itself as "one of the largest trade-focused tasting fairs in Kyushu where carefully selected spirits handled by importers from around the world gather in one place," and states plainly, "Food-and-beverage professionals may attend free of charge. Please make use of it as a reference for finding new menu items and for purchasing." Besides liquor companies, the list includes entries such as USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan and a cigar business [F-004]. "one of the largest in Kyushu" is the organizer's own claim, and this site has found no third-party basis for comparison.

Q: Is "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the list the same Yamaya Distillery that recently won at the IWSC?

No, and this site has found no link between them. "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list [prtimes#1641783] and "Yamaya Distillery Inc." (Saito City, Miyazaki; parent company Yamaya Communications Inc. of Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka, a spicy cod roe business), which announced its IWSC2026 gold on 2026-07-02 [prtimes#1295505], make no reference to one another in this card's two source texts and must not be treated as the same company — in particular, it must never be written that "exhibitor Yamaya won an award." The same care applies to "Komasa Jyozo" on the list versus "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co.," a lecturer affiliation at the Tokyo whisky festival [prtimes#1360053], which is a different corporate name (see the Caveats section and [J-002]).

Q: Is there a structural difference between Japan and Taiwan in who vouches for spirits, and can we compare whose spirits are better?

No ranking is possible and this card makes none. What can be pointed out is a difference in the position of the actor. On the Taiwan side, CNA's 2026-06-25 report on a regular press conference of the National Treasury Administration, Ministry of Finance states that the administration nominated certified spirits for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, winning 12 medals with a 100% award rate and reaching 28 medals including self-entered producers, and that the Quality Liquor Certification scheme has run since ROC year 92 with 296 products across 53 production lines currently certified [cna#1231801]. On the Japan side two tiers appear at once: a private tier — competition operation (TWSC), qualification examinations, specialist-magazine publishing, large tasting-fair organizing and technical consulting for producers all appear in the self-reported business content of a single private company, Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (established March 2001) [prtimes#1337495][prtimes#1360053][prtimes#1572591]; and a public tier — per Kirishima Shuzo's release of 2026-04-24, its Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal" and was selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one per prefecture across four prefectures (that class drew 433 entries from 192 production sites, with 117 Awards of Excellence) [prtimes#208966]. This is an observation within the range of this card's material; this card did not exhaustively search public or private bodies in either place, does not infer non-existence from absence, and asserts no institutional equivalence between the two [J-005]. Also, TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions that this card states individually and never ranks or merges [J-004].

Sources

1. [PRTIMES#1641783] (entry point and main anchor) PR TIMES (press release by Auric Co., 株式会社オーリック), original Japanese title: 「昨年500名超が来場した福岡のウイスキー試飲会、今年は約80社出展で8月26日開催」 (English: "Fukuoka whisky tasting fair that drew over 500 visitors last year returns August 26 with about 80 exhibitors"), published 2026-07-22 10:00:02 JST (the timestamp carried in the source release; PR TIMES states times in Japan Standard Time). https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000007.000070866.html 2. [PRTIMES#1627902] PR TIMES (press release by Union Liquors Inc.), English: "Union Liquors signs official import agency agreement with Sogrape, Portugal's largest winemaker," published 2026-07-21. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000010.000099043.html 3. [PRTIMES#1218348] PR TIMES (press release by Diageo Japan Inc.), English: "Diageo's new collection of rare whiskies, the 'Rare Series,' goes on sale in Japan from Tuesday, July 7, 2026," published 2026-06-26. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000102.000077535.html 4. [PRTIMES#1219204] PR TIMES (press release by Meidi-ya Co.), English: "Meidi-ya begins handling Cinzano, the prestigious Italian brand founded in 1757," published 2026-06-26. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000026.000105971.html 5. [PRTIMES#1266390] PR TIMES (press release by morning glory Inc. — the issuing entity is not Nishi Shuzo), English: "[500 bottles worldwide, 8 bottles for Japan] A top-tier Japanese whisky using rare sherry casks of 40 years' standing: whisky from Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery fused with art by a Taiwanese master, published on CAMPFIRE," published 2026-06-30. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000001.000185976.html 6. [PRTIMES#1126667] PR TIMES (press release by Takara Shuzo Co.), English: "[Takara Shuzo] 'Blanton's' and 'Blanton's Straight From The Barrel' win Double Gold at SFWSC2026, one of the largest spirits competitions in the United States," published 2026-06-19. 7. [PRTIMES#1376820] PR TIMES (press release by Mottox Inc.), English: "Supporting the future of chefs and restaurants through wine: Mottox named Official Wine Partner of NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026," published 2026-07-09. 8. [PRTIMES#1572591] PR TIMES (press release by Akkeshi Distillery, Whisky Division, Kenten Jitsugyo Co.), English: "[Akkeshi Distillery] 'Akkeshi Single Malt Japanese Whisky Hanaguhashi Karinpani' wins Best of the Best and the Japan Grand Prix at one of Asia's largest spirits competitions," published 2026-07-17. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000018.000144662.html 9. [PRTIMES#1360053] PR TIMES (press release by Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc.), English: "Ticket sales open August 26 (Wed): the large-scale whisky tasting event 'Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo,'" published 2026-07-08. 10. [PRTIMES#1337495] PR TIMES (press release by Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc.), English: "Y.A. Blended Malt Japanese Whisky 'Umah!! 72 Tsuchiya x Honbo Commemorative Bottle' (marking 2 people's 72nd birthdays) confirmed for members-only sale via the online shop," published 2026-07-06. 11. [PRTIMES#1504932] PR TIMES (press release by Kuju Distillery, Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd.), English: "[New product] 'Single Malt Kuju tabi#01,' the third single malt series from Kuju Distillery, the only whisky-dedicated distillery in Oita Prefecture, goes on sale July 31," published 2026-07-15. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000014.000148265.html 12. [PRTIMES#1568300] PR TIMES (press release by LOVE FM; special sponsor Suntory), English: "Free admission! Fifth edition this year! A summer of laid-back grooves: 'IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES 2026 in FUKUOKA,'" published 2026-07-17. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000104.000030637.html 13. [PRTIMES#1295505] PR TIMES (press release by Yamaya Distillery Inc. / Yamaya Communications Inc. — not the same company as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list), English: "Yamaya Distillery's 'Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu' wins gold at IWSC2026, one of the three great world spirits competitions; two other products win silver," published 2026-07-02. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000016.000177712.html 14. [PRTIMES#1579183] PR TIMES (press release by MyVoice Communications Inc.; citation as "MyVoice survey" required), English: "[Survey on shochu] A little over 30% drink shochu; the most preferred serve, mizuwari, accounts for a little over 20% of shochu drinkers," published 2026-07-17. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000001802.000007815.html 15. [PRTIMES#1630953] PR TIMES (co-hosted announcement by ZIP-FM and the Aichi Sake Brewers Association), English: "'Aki Sake Matsuri,' one of the largest sake tasting events in the Tokai region, confirmed again this year at two venues in Aichi and Gifu," published 2026-07-21. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000231.000048223.html 16. [PRTIMES#1641518] PR TIMES (press release by REM Inc. / 813KAGA), English: "British premium whisky 'Coachbuilt Whisky' colors an evening at Hilton Tokyo Odaiba — a special message from F1 world champion Jenson Button also screened," published 2026-07-22. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000021.000107648.html 17. [CNA#1231801] Central News Agency (reporter Lu Yen-tzu), "San Francisco World Spirits Competition: certified spirits backed by the Ministry of Finance win 28 medals" (Chinese original: 〈舊金山世界烈酒競賽財部認證酒品獲28面獎牌〉), 2026-06-25. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/afe/202606250258.aspx 18. [CNA#690678] Central News Agency (reporter Yu Hsiao-han), "Grand Hotel's 2026 state banquet whisky blends Taiwan's stories and culture" (Chinese original: 〈圓山飯店2026國宴威士忌融合台灣故事及文化〉), 2026-06-04. https://www.cna.com.tw/news/ahel/202606040297.aspx 19. [PRTIMES#208966] PR TIMES (press release by Kirishima Shuzo Co. — the issuing entity is Kirishima Shuzo, not the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau), English: "Kirishima Shuzo selected as an 'Award of Excellence Representative Production Site,' the only brewery chosen from Miyazaki Prefecture, in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the sake appraisal hosted by the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau," published 2026-04-24. https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000035.000053434.html 20. Internal citations (published ANK cards): ANK-2026-07-21-002 (2026-07-21, CONNECT); ANK-2026-07-17-002 (2026-07-20, CONNECT); ANK-2026-06-18-001 (2026-06-25, CONTEXTUALIZE); ANK-2026-06-02-056 (2026-06-28, CONTEXTUALIZE)

> Anti-fabrication statement: This card carries zero verified official anchors (official_count_verified=0); every figure is as carried in the respective PR TIMES release or CNA report and is not independently verified by this site. This card generates no figure absent from the originals, computes no ratio or total, and uses no cross-source merging to manufacture comparisons absent from the originals; TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are separate competitions stated individually and never ranked against one another. The issuing entity of PRTIMES#1266390 is morning glory, not Nishi Shuzo; "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list and the Yamaya Distillery of PRTIMES#1295505 are not the same company and this site has found no link between them. This card carries no Wikidata Q identifiers (no registry verification was performed by this shift). This card contains no legal advice; the main article's notices on underage admission and drunk driving are reproduced solely as the organizer's notices.

📊 引用級事實單元（F-Units）

ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026 outline — Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00, TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka), free for trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public, organized by Auric Co.

F-001 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1641783 Grade B · 平台審查企業發稿 Release published 2026-07-22 10:00:02 JST (the timestamp carried in the source release; PR TIMES states times in Japan Standard Time); event scheduled 2026-08-26

Scale — exhibitors from 70 companies last year (2025) to about 80 this year (2026); about 80 manufacturers and importers exhibiting (planned figure per the release)

F-002 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1641783 Grade B · 平台審查企業發稿 Comparison basis = 70 companies last year (2025) versus about 80 companies this year (2026); release published 2026-07-22

2025 results as carried in the release — over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, "5,000-yen gacha" sold out within 90 minutes of opening

F-003 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1641783 Grade B · 平台審查企業發稿 Results refer to last year's (2025) edition; release published 2026-07-22

Nature of the list — headed "Exhibiting manufacturers (about 80 companies planned)," yet the same release describes an importer-driven "trade-focused tasting fair," and the list includes non-alcohol-manufacturing entries such as USEN, Gyomuyo Bihin Center, Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan, Red Bull Japan and a cigar business

F-004 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1641783 Grade B · 平台審查企業發稿 Release published 2026-07-22 (the list is the planned roster of "about 80 companies planned")

Mottox describes itself as "a liquor trading company founded in 1915" (established March 1954); Official Wine Partner of "NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026," October 16-18, 2026

F-005 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1376820 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-09; event scheduled 2026-10-16 to 2026-10-18

Union Liquors signs an official import agency agreement in Japan with Sogrape and begins selling three brands from July 21, 2026

F-006 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1627902 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Agreement and sales start 2026-07-21 (release published the same day)

Meidi-ya begins handling "Cinzano" from September 1, 2026; the brand was acquired by the Caffo Group in 2025 (per the release)

F-007 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1219204 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Handling scheduled to begin 2026-09-01; release published 2026-06-26; brand acquisition year = 2025 (per the release)

Diageo Japan's "Rare Series" launched July 7, 2026; the first collection of five carries worldwide allocations of 160-347 bottles and recommended retail prices of 160,000-960,000 yen excluding tax

F-008 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1218348 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 On sale 2026-07-07; release published 2026-06-26

morning glory's release — cask-strength whisky from Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery with art labels by Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang; four variants at about 500 bottles worldwide per specification and 8 bottles each for Japan

F-009 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1266390 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 CAMPFIRE publication 2026-06-27; release published 2026-06-30

Blanton's and Blanton's Straight From The Barrel, imported and sold by Takara Shuzo, won Double Gold at SFWSC2026 (as carried in the company's release)

F-010 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1126667 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-06-19 (SFWSC2026 results)

CNA report — certified spirits nominated by Taiwan's National Treasury Administration took 12 medals at the SFWSC with a 100% award rate, reaching 28 medals including self-entered producers; quality liquor certification promoted since ROC year 92, with 296 products across 53 production lines certified

F-011 · Confidence: medium · Basis: news_aggregation CNA #1231801 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Press conference and report date 2026-06-25; competition = SFWSC (the report notes results are still being announced in sequence)

Whisky Bunka Kenkyusho Inc. (established March 2001) lists TWSC operation, qualification certification, specialist-magazine publishing, festival operation and production consulting among its business content; sold a commemorative bottle with Honbo Shuzo's president to members only from 2026-07-08

F-012 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1337495 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-06; sales began 2026-07-08 12:00; established March 2001 (per the release)

Akkeshi Distillery won Best of the Best, the Japan Grand Prix and a Best Category award at TWSC2026; the TWSC executive committee is chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya (per the release)

F-013 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1572591 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-17 (TWSC2026 results)

"Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo," November 6-7, 2026, Tokyo International Forum, admission 3,500-5,000 yen including tax, 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days), general sales open at noon on 2026-08-26

F-014 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1360053 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-08; general ticket sales open 2026-08-26 at noon; event scheduled 2026-11-06 to 2026-11-07

"IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES 2026 in FUKUOKA," July 24-26, 2026, Tenjin Central Park, free admission, organized by LOVE FM with Suntory as special sponsor

F-015 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1568300 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Event 2026-07-24 to 2026-07-26; release published 2026-07-17; the "world's number one by sales" claim refers to 2025 sales volume (source cited in the release: IMPACT NEWSLETTER March 1&15 2026 issue)

"Aki Sake Matsuri" — Aichi on October 3-4, 2026 (27 breweries exhibiting; organized by the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and ZIP-FM, co-hosted since 2017); Gifu on October 24-25, 2026 (30 breweries from the prefecture; started in 2023, fourth edition)

F-016 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1630953 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-21; events scheduled Aichi 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-04 and Gifu 2026-10-24 to 2026-10-25

REM Inc. (813KAGA) exclusively supplied whisky at the BCCJ-hosted "The Great British Summer Bash 2026" on 2026-07-16, with about 150 attendees

F-017 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1641518 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Event 2026-07-16; release published 2026-07-22

Kuju Distillery (Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd.) launches "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01" on July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml, suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax

F-018 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1504932 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 On sale 2026-07-31; release published 2026-07-15

Yamaya Distillery (a group company of Yamaya Communications) won gold at IWSC2026 for its "Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu" — warning: not the same company as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list

F-019 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1295505 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-07-02 (IWSC2026 results)

MyVoice ninth "shochu drinking" survey (2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07, sample of 10,742 respondents) — sweet-potato shochu 54.3%, barley shochu 41.3%, with sweet-potato shochu high in Kyushu

F-020 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #1579183 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Survey period 2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07; release published 2026-07-17

CNA report — the Grand Hotel's 2026 state banquet whisky uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt as its core base, with just over 60% sold in the four days after its June 1 launch

F-021 · Confidence: medium · Basis: news_aggregation CNA #690678 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Launch 2026-06-01; report date 2026-06-04 ("four days" = from the report date back to the launch date)

Kirishima Shuzo's Shihida Extension Plant won an Award of Excellence in the authentic shochu division, standard class, at the "Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal," and was selected as an "Award of Excellence Representative Production Site," one per prefecture across four prefectures (that division and class drew 433 entries from 192 production sites, with 117 Awards of Excellence)

F-022 · Confidence: medium · Basis: official_statement PRTIMES #208966 Grade U · 未分類／不可主張已驗證 Release published 2026-04-24 (appraisal = Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau Reiwa 8 Sake Appraisal; cumulative sales figure as of end of March 2026; results for fiscal year ended March 2025; headcount as of April 2025)

❓ FAQ

When and where is the ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026, and how much does it cost to attend?

Are there more exhibitors this year than last year, and is the figure reliable?

Is this a consumer tasting event or a trade procurement floor?

Is "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the list the same Yamaya Distillery that recently won at the IWSC?

Is there a structural difference between Japan and Taiwan in who vouches for spirits, and can we compare whose spirits are better?

🧠 編輯判斷（J-Units）

Zero verified official anchors — 17 of the 19 sources are PR TIMES press releases (self-reported by each issuing entity) and 2 are CNA reports; this card contains no verified public data

Confidence: high

Same name, different company, pinned — "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" is not "Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications"; "Komasa Jyozo" is not "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co."

Confidence: high

Linkage layers — which relationship layer each source occupies in this card

Confidence: high

The competitions are not commensurable — TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions; this card states each on its own and forbids ranking or merging

Confidence: high

Scope of observation — the public/private two-tier comparison is an observation within this card's 19 sources; it cannot support an inference that either side lacks a scheme, and it asserts no institutional equivalence

Confidence: high

🔮 待驗證假設（P-Units）

The actual number of exhibitors at the ALLIQ tasting fair on August 26, 2026, actual attendance (trade visitors versus general public) and whether the "5,000-yen gacha" sells out again — not checked by this site; verifiable after the event (open)

Status: open

Ticket sales performance for the "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo" after general sales open at noon on 2026-08-26, and whether actual attendance on 2026-11-06 and 2026-11-07 reaches the stated cap of 2,200 per session and 6,600 planned across two days — not checked by this site (open)

Status: open

The complete SFWSC2026 award list (CNA's 2026-06-25 report states results and awards are still being announced in sequence) and Taiwan's final medal total — not checked by this site (open)

Status: open

The final outcome of the morning glory x Nishi Shuzo Ontake Distillery CAMPFIRE project (published 2026-06-27) and the actual shipment results for "about 500 bottles worldwide / 8 bottles each in Japan" — not checked by this site (open)

Status: open

Subsequent channel rollout for Union Liquors' three Sogrape brands (sales from 2026-07-21) and Meidi-ya's Cinzano (handling from 2026-09-01) — to be tracked against the timelines carried in each release (open)

Status: open

"Fukuoka's ALLIQ whisky and spirits tasting fair to be held in Tenjin on Aug 26, 2026, with about 80 exhibitors, up from 70 in 2025 (per the organizer's own release; not independently verified)"

Fukuoka's ALLIQ whisky and spirits tasting fair to be held in Tenjin on Aug 26, 2026, with about 80 exhibitors, up from 70 in 2025 (per the organizer's own release; not independently verified)

TL;DR

Body

1. How to read the list: the heading says "manufacturers," yet the list also names the people who put spirits into shops

2. In the same month, the companies on the list were each moving upstream rights and allocations

3. Who vouches for the spirits (the private tier): in Japan the competition, qualifications and tasting fair concentrate in one company

4. The public tier: Taiwan's sits in the National Treasury Administration, Japan's surfaces at the Kumamoto Regional Taxation Bureau

5. One summer in Tenjin, two completely opposite crowd models

6. Who convenes the room: four types of organizing entity in this card's material

7. One verifiable cross-section each on the supply and demand sides (each a sample or an individual case; neither a census nor a trend)

8. Between Japan and Taiwan, this line runs both ways

Risk Factors

§Caveats (source limitations, consolidated once)

F-Units

F-001: ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026 outline — Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 13:00-18:00, TKP Elgala Hall 8F Grand Hall (Tenjin 1-4-2, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka), free for trade visitors (advance registration required) and 4,400 yen for the general public, organized by Auric Co.

F-002: Scale — exhibitors from 70 companies last year (2025) to about 80 this year (2026); about 80 manufacturers and importers exhibiting (planned figure per the release)

F-003: 2025 results as carried in the release — over 500 advance bookings (a record high), about 100 general visitors, "5,000-yen gacha" sold out within 90 minutes of opening

F-005: Mottox describes itself as "a liquor trading company founded in 1915" (established March 1954); Official Wine Partner of "NoName Festival KARUIZAWA 2026," October 16-18, 2026

F-006: Union Liquors signs an official import agency agreement in Japan with Sogrape and begins selling three brands from July 21, 2026

F-007: Meidi-ya begins handling "Cinzano" from September 1, 2026; the brand was acquired by the Caffo Group in 2025 (per the release)

F-008: Diageo Japan's "Rare Series" launched July 7, 2026; the first collection of five carries worldwide allocations of 160-347 bottles and recommended retail prices of 160,000-960,000 yen excluding tax

F-009: morning glory's release — cask-strength whisky from Nishi Shuzo's Ontake Distillery with art labels by Taiwanese artist Hsieh Yi-chang; four variants at about 500 bottles worldwide per specification and 8 bottles each for Japan

F-010: Blanton's and Blanton's Straight From The Barrel, imported and sold by Takara Shuzo, won Double Gold at SFWSC2026 (as carried in the company's release)

F-013: Akkeshi Distillery won Best of the Best, the Japan Grand Prix and a Best Category award at TWSC2026; the TWSC executive committee is chaired by whisky critic Mamoru Tsuchiya (per the release)

F-014: "Whisky Festival 2026 in Tokyo," November 6-7, 2026, Tokyo International Forum, admission 3,500-5,000 yen including tax, 2,200 per session (6,600 planned across two days), general sales open at noon on 2026-08-26

F-015: "IRIE MUSIC with JIM BEAM SUMMER FES 2026 in FUKUOKA," July 24-26, 2026, Tenjin Central Park, free admission, organized by LOVE FM with Suntory as special sponsor

F-016: "Aki Sake Matsuri" — Aichi on October 3-4, 2026 (27 breweries exhibiting; organized by the Aichi Sake Brewers Association and ZIP-FM, co-hosted since 2017); Gifu on October 24-25, 2026 (30 breweries from the prefecture; started in 2023, fourth edition)

F-017: REM Inc. (813KAGA) exclusively supplied whisky at the BCCJ-hosted "The Great British Summer Bash 2026" on 2026-07-16, with about 150 attendees

F-018: Kuju Distillery (Tsuzaki Shoji Ltd.) launches "Single Malt Kuju tabi#01" on July 31, 2026 at 53% ABV, 700ml, suggested retail price 12,000 yen excluding tax

F-019: Yamaya Distillery (a group company of Yamaya Communications) won gold at IWSC2026 for its "Kame-jikomi Umeshu Using Long-Aged Kame-Stored Koshu" — warning: not the same company as "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the ALLIQ list

F-020: MyVoice ninth "shochu drinking" survey (2026-06-01 to 2026-06-07, sample of 10,742 respondents) — sweet-potato shochu 54.3%, barley shochu 41.3%, with sweet-potato shochu high in Kyushu

F-021: CNA report — the Grand Hotel's 2026 state banquet whisky uses Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor's Nantou Distillery OMAR single malt as its core base, with just over 60% sold in the four days after its June 1 launch

J-Units

J-001: Zero verified official anchors — 17 of the 19 sources are PR TIMES press releases (self-reported by each issuing entity) and 2 are CNA reports; this card contains no verified public data

J-002: Same name, different company, pinned — "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" is not "Yamaya Distillery / Yamaya Communications"; "Komasa Jyozo" is not "Komasa Kanosuke Distillery Co."

J-003: Linkage layers — which relationship layer each source occupies in this card

J-004: The competitions are not commensurable — TWSC2026, IWSC2026 and SFWSC2026 are three separate competitions; this card states each on its own and forbids ranking or merging

J-005: Scope of observation — the public/private two-tier comparison is an observation within this card's 19 sources; it cannot support an inference that either side lacks a scheme, and it asserts no institutional equivalence

P-Units

Three Perspectives on the Same Event / 同事件・三視角 / 同一イベント・三つの視点

Internal Citation Chain (linking back to published cards)

FAQ

Q: When and where is the ALLIQ Whisky & Spirits Tasting Fair 2026, and how much does it cost to attend?

Q: Are there more exhibitors this year than last year, and is the figure reliable?

Q: Is this a consumer tasting event or a trade procurement floor?

Q: Is "Cordon Vert (Yamaya)" on the list the same Yamaya Distillery that recently won at the IWSC?

Q: Is there a structural difference between Japan and Taiwan in who vouches for spirits, and can we compare whose spirits are better?

Sources

📊 引用級事實單元（F-Units）

❓ FAQ

🧠 編輯判斷（J-Units）

🔮 待驗證假設（P-Units）

Verification Record

Related Analyses