Japanese whisky may be a relative newcomer on the global stage, but it’s quickly earned a reputation for excellence. Inspired by Scotch whisky-making techniques, Japanese distillers have created a style that’s both familiar and uniquely their own.
Japanese whisky began in the 1920s when Masataka Taketsuru returned from Scotland with the knowledge he’d use to establish whisky production in Japan. Today, the major players are Suntory and Nikka, though there are several smaller distilleries making waves.
Single malts
Inspired by (and very similar to) Scotch, Japanese single malts are made at a single distillery from 100% malted barley, water and yeast using traditional pot stills. Distilleries such as Yamazaki, Kurayoshi and Nikka have even imported peat from Scotland to create their own smoky flavours. Unique to Japanese whisky-making is the use of Mizurna oak casks. Unlike the broadly used European or American oak, this native Japanese timber imparts a sweeter flavour to the whisky, giving it a very light body. Mizunara mostly comes from the Hokkaido prefecture in northern Japan.
Blended
Japanese whisky which uses both pot distilled single malts and column distilled grain whisky from various distilleries within its blend.
Pure malt
Japanese whisky which uses only single malts from various distilleries within the blend, sometimes coming from Scottish and Japanese distilleries.
Grain
Column distilled Japanese whiskies made from various cereals such as malted barley, un malted barley, corn or rye.
Single grain
Grain whisky from a single Japanese whisky. These are typically column distilled. An example would be ‘The Chita’ single grain by House of Suntory.
When tasting Japanese whisky, you might encounter delicate fruity notes, gentle smokiness, or hints of incense and spice. Many are remarkably smooth and refined. Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki are some well-known brands to look out for. However, due to increasing global demand and limited production, some Japanese whiskies can be hard to find or quite expensive.
It’s worth noting that regulations around Japanese whisky have been somewhat loose, allowing some products to be labelled as Japanese whisky even if they contain imported whisky. New standards introduced in 2021 aim to provide more clarity, but it’s still worth doing your research if authenticity is important to you.
