A Guide To The World of Japanese Whisky
New to the world of Japanese Whiskies? Allow us to give you a brief guide to this Scotch-inspired drink. Japanese whisky has quickly climbed the ladder of success and has quickly become one of the best whiskies in the world – completely understandable when you consider how detail-oriented the Japanese are. While it may have a good fan base because of how new it is, there are still many purists who continue to favour the traditional Scotch Whisky or Irish Whiskey over it.
In our opinion, this all comes down to simply not knowing what they’re missing out on. So, if a Japanese whisky has caught your eye and you want to give it a try, here’s what you need to know.
Understanding the Roots of Japanese Whisky
Scotch Whisky has been around since the late 1400s, roughly 600 years now. In contrast, the Japanese haven’t been making whisky that long, so it’s a marvel that they’re able to compete with other whiskies like Scottish whiskies. In 1923, 101 years ago, Taket Masataka, a man who developed a passion for whisky, decided to bring the gentlemen's drink to Japan.
Masataka owned a small shop in Suntory where he sold imported wines at the time. He spent a lengthy time learning about whisky from its inventors, the Scotts (if you ask the Irish, they’ll say they invented it). After his trip to Scotland, Masataka used the same distilling methods to produce whisky in Japan. He imported barley from Scotland and used the same oak barrels to age the whisky, too.
This led to the foundations being laid for Yamazaki, Japan's first whisky distillery. Shortly after this, Masataka started his own company, called Nikka, and established a distillery in Hokkaido called Yoichi Distillery. At first, Masataka stayed true to the distilling methods he learnt in Scotland, producing a Scottish whisky. However, over time, they began to experiment and change the recipe, creating their own unique whisky.
This clearly paid off as Nikka’s 10-year-old Yoichi Single Malt brought Japanese whiskies to the global stage in 2001 by being awarded the Best of the Best title by Whisky Magazine. As a result of this, the demand for Japanese whisky shot through the roof, so much so that the distilleries couldn’t keep up with the demand. A good example of this is the Karuizawa Whisky Distillery in Nagano, which had to shut its doors in 2001. Today, some of the best Japanese whiskies are considered rare; for instance, Yamazaki’s 55-year-old single malt went for $795,000 at an auction in 2020. Talk about a legacy, right?
Japanese whisky brands you must know
So, if you want to get into Japanese whisky, what are some reputable brands that you need to be aware of? Well, as you can imagine, brands like Suntory and Nikka are already at the top of the list. Suntory has two distilleries, Hakushu and Yamazaki. The single malt mentioned above came from Yamazaki. Nikka also has two distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi. Any whisky really from these distilleries would be a fantastic choice. But we all know that personal preference has something to do with choosing a whisky, leading us to our next section.
Some great Japanese Whiskies to try
Sifting through a load of whiskies can be tedious, so to make things a bit easier for you, here are some Japanese Whisky suggestions that you might want to try:
Nikka Yoichi Single Malt adopts some of the Scotch Whisky characteristics with a smoky, peated side and notes of almonds and vanilla
Looking for something a bit maturer, the Yamazaki 12-year-old single malt is packed with fruit and floral notes
Another fruity choice is the Suntory Toki, which has notes of smoke, apple, and citrus
Bursting with sweetness, the Akashi White Oak has well-blended notes of vanilla, marshmallows, and spice
For something a little stronger, consider the Huji Sanroku Signature blend. This blend has 50% alcohol, so you’d need to sip it rather than down it (which, if you ask us, is the way you should drink any decent whisky).
How to drink Japanese Whisky
This article wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t give you a “how-to guide on how to drink Japanese Whisky, so here are some ways in which you can enjoy this liquid gold:
Neat
Enjoy a shot of whisky that is completely neat, with no ice or mixers diluting the flavour. This is great if you really want to get the notes out of the whisky.
On the rocks
This is a very common method to enjoy whisky. The ice brings a long-lasting refreshment to the experience and dilutes it as you drink.
Mixed
There are many different ways in which you can mix a Japanese whisky with another drink like cola or lemonade. For those who prefer simplicity, the Mizuwari, a drink that mixes water and whisky together, is quite popular.
Final Thoughts
If Japanese whisky took a mere 100 years to achieve the quality of their whiskies, imagine what’ll happen in the next 100 years. Let’s keep our eyes open expectantly as we see the Japanese continue to wow us with their brilliance and attention to detail as they develop some of the best whiskies in the world.