[Japan] Japanese whiskey (Japan is recognized as one of the world's top whisky producers)

Japanese whiskey is a long tradition that attracted worldwide attention in the early 2000s.

The commercial production of whiskey in Japan began in 1924, a few years after Takesuru Masataka, who learned distillation in Scotland, returned to Japan. Shinjiro Torii of Kotobukiya, a liquor company that later became Suntory, hired Masataka to establish Japan's first whiskey distillery and began producing whiskey for Japanese consumers. Torii Shoten will then change its name to Suntory. Most of Japan's whiskey sales have been successful only in the domestic market, but changes have come since Yamazaki won the 12-year-old ISC (International Liquor Contest) gold medal in 2003. The trend continued as Suntory's Yamazaki Whiskey was named the "World's Best Whiskey of the Year" by Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible 2015. Through this process, a new whisky culture was born that attracted attention from all over the world.

Japanese Whiskey, which attracted global attention by winning the World Whiskey title in 2015

Malt barley alone cannot be a Japanese whiskey.

Quality Water: The mineral water of Yamazaki Village was clear and clean, so it was mentioned in classical poetry, and it is said that it fascinated Sennorikyu, the father of the legendary tea ceremony. In 1923, Shinjiro Torii opened Japan's first distillery in Yamazaki.

Climate: Three rivers converge into one stream near Yamazaki, where thick fog occurs almost all year round. High humidity and temperature changes create an optimal environment for whiskey aging.

Yamazaki and Nikka, the two-wheeled wagons in the Japanese whiskey industry

the epitome of Japanese whiskey

In 1899, Shinjiro Torii founded Torii Shoten, which later became Suntory. He dreamed of Japan where whiskey was loved. After World War I, Torii met Takesuru Masataka. At that time, Takesuru studied chemistry and Scotch production at the University of Glasgow, and had just returned to Japan with his Scottish wife Jesse Roberta Cowan. In 1923, Torii and Takesuru established Japan's first malt whiskey distillery in Yamazaki. Then, six years later, they launched the Suntory White Label, Japan's first whiskey.

Suntory

Suntory Yamazaki Distillery is located in Yamazaki, outside Osaka. Yamazaki is one of three Japanese distilleries managed by Suntory. The other two are in Cheetah and Hakushu. Yamazaki single malt sherry casque 2013 turned to the world when it won the title of the world's best whiskey in 2015. It has a soft, smooth throat and aroma that stands out, and it has less of a pit's distinctive scent than a typical whiskey. The taste similar to Lowland Scotch is impressive.

Nikka Corporation

Masataka Takesuru, who left Suntory, decided to open his own distillery modeled after a distillery in Scotland. In 1934, construction began in the cold northern part of Hokkaido and established a company called Dae-Japan Fruit Juice. It was the predecessor of Nikka. Nikka now operates its second distillery. Nikka Takesuru Pure Malt is a blend of single malt from two distilleries. The slightly smoky aftertaste that lingers for a long time after aging in a container that used to contain bourbon and sherry is impressive.

There are various Japanese whiskey on the market.

Popular domestic whiskey that you don't know well outside the country

Not all Japanese whiskey has won the highest-rated award. Find hidden gem-like whiskey in Japan. Yoichi Single Malt is perfect for those who want to try refined Japanese whiskey that has aged for a long time. Kirin Whiskey Fuji Sanroku is an excellent whiskey with a high degree of alcohol, and it's perfect to make a highball in summer. It is a unique model among Japanese whiskey, and it features a similar scent and taste to bourbon. If you're looking for a relatively old whiskey, try Akashi White Oak Single Malt. The rich oak scent and strong end taste spread smoothly over time.

Join the distillery tour and don't miss the chance to taste.

The History of Japanese Whiskey as a Tasting Experience

Japanese whiskey distilleries are often open to the public at certain times. The main distillery has a souvenir shop. Learn and taste Japanese whiskey on a tour of the distillery. All famous distilleries conduct a field trip. Check out the website for more information. Most field trips do not support English. Even small-scale distillery tours are booked in advance, so please plan ahead of time.

Mars Shinshu Distillery at the highest altitude in Japan

The Yamazaki Distillery tour course is famous. The tour provides audio guidance in English, Chinese and French, and includes tasting sessions. In the case of Yoichi Distillery in Hokkaido, daily tours are provided in Japanese, and information can be received in multiple languages using the smartphone app. If it snows heavily in winter, the field trip can be canceled. The relatively lesser-known Mars Shinshu Distillery is located at the highest altitude in Japan. The relatively lesser-known Mars Shinshu Distillery is located at the highest altitude in Japan, located in the southern Alps of Japan. It was founded by the Hombaugh family, which has been casting since 1949. The tour also includes tasting events. The tour will be conducted in Japanese, but it will be a very rare experience regardless of language barriers. Visit the website and make a reservation via email.

Meet Japanese whiskey all over Japan.

a place where you can drink Japanese whiskey

You can find Japanese whiskey anywhere in Japan. You can easily find a quiet bar with a variety of Japanese whiskey in Japanese hotels. Visit any Izakaya and enjoy highball or other Japanese whiskey cocktails. The compact bar, which can be found all over the country, takes pride in its own whiskey collection. Go around looking for a small local bar and make your own whisky taste.

The Suntory lineup, including Hibiki, Yamazaki, Cheetah, and Hakushu, is a product line that stands out with delicately balanced aromas. It has the best flavor when you drink it straight or on the rocks. Japanese bartenders take pride in their ability to carve ice, and they also use only the best of each ice when casting cocktails. This helps prevent the ice from melting and mixing into alcohol.

A number of relatively lesser-known Japanese whiskey may not be able to win all the awards the Suntory line-up has won. Nevertheless, there is no denying that it retains its wonderful taste and aroma. The most common combos ordered from Izakaya across Japan are highball and karaage, a Japanese fried chicken. The small shredded hot chicken boasts a fantastic combination with the dry foamy highball. Try it with Suntory Gaku or Nikka Whiskey. Most restaurants in major cities have either. There's nothing like this clean and refreshing drink in the hot summer of Japan.

All information is accurate as of March 2019.

It may be different from the latest information, so please check the official website.

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