We’re Recapping Chilled 100 ELEVATE 2023 at Dragon King’s Daughter Dinner hosted by House of Suntory

A group of ELEVATE attendees were treated to dinner at Dragon King’s Daughter, a Louisville sushi restaurant named after the first woman to reach enlightenment.

The meal featured three cocktails crafted with spirits by House of Suntory, which is celebrating a century of pioneering Japanese whisky.

To start, guests enjoyed a Fall Highball, made with spiced apple shrub, Domaine de Canton, soda, and Toki, a Suntory Whisky. Corey Galotta, brand manager of Courvoisier and House of Suntory East, explained that the innovative spirit is coming up on its 10-year anniversary, as it launched in 2014.

“We were looking for a way to bring a blended whisky to the rest of the world, beyond just Japan,” Galotta said.

“We wanted to take an old-meets-new approach with Toki, [which] is what we take with all our spirits. We want to respect tradition but push the boundary forward.”

He added that all House of Suntory spirits are made via a collaborative process. Chief blender Shinji Fukuyo and his blending team combine various whiskies from different pot stills and barrels to produce one-of-a-kind creations.

For the first course, ELEVATE attendees enjoyed tuna tataki, veggie gyoza, and stuffed wontons with a Haku Blossom. The blend of Tozai Blossom of Peace sake, Cointreau, white cranberry, saline, and lime featured Haku, a vodka made of 100% Japanese white rice.

This was followed by a second course of various sushi rolls, paired with the Bees Knees, a cocktail made of lemon, honey, yuzu bitters, and Roku. The craft gin is a balanced blend of six distinctive Japanese botanicals — hence its name, which means “six” in Japan — combined with eight traditional botanicals.

At the end of the meal, the House of Suntory team shared pours of Hikbiki 30, a whisky that was released in 2022. Galotta explained that only 200 bottles of Hibiki 30 were released in the U.S., each one retailing for $5,000.

“We’ve been very selective about where we brought this,” Galotta said, adding that they were happy to share it with everyone at ELEVATE. “Hibiki is all about harmony, and harmony is all about what we do at Suntory.”

Suntory also presented guests with a parting gift: a bottle of Kansha 2023, Suntory’s 100th Anniversary whisky that is not available in stores. Presented in an elegant gift box with a commemorative glass, the special treat is sure to be savored and remembered by everyone at ELEVATE.