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Sherry cask malt whisky: Working as a “dressing” or highlight, this somewhat older whisky is the only dark-amber component of the main five and provides personality, flavor and top notes of dried fruit, cigar, plum and wood.On its own, it is clearly young but aromatically rich with caramel, anise and honey notes. Chita grain whisky: The company calls it the “dashi” or “broth” designed to bring everything together.It opens sweet and light-bodied, with hints of tannin and spice. On its own, this component is brash and oaky on the nose. Malt whisky aged in American white oak: The brand says this creates a “solid base” of flavor.We have seven cocktails that will not only bring out the best in your Japanese Whisky but leaving you asking why you haven’t been mixing up more of the stuff. Including the new sites, Japan will now be home to over 20 active distilleries, so there is plenty to explore. The Chokaisan distillery will also open at the end of the year with the annual capacity estimated a 90,000 litres. The Kanosuke distillery in Kagoshima is being established by Komasa Jyozo Co, a Shochu maker founded in 1883. The Sakurao distillery is set to open later this year and hopes to create Hiroshima’s first single malt whisky and craft gin. There are also a number of new distilleries in the planning. Chichibu has just released their IPA Finish, where single malt has been aged in casks previously holding India pale ale. Sure, Suntory and Nikka are the big guns when it comes to Whisky distilleries in Japan but there are also a few small players that are making a name for themselves as well.ĭistilleries like Mars Shinshu (who are the third most prominent whisky maker in Japan) andĬhichibu is doing some really interesting things. Seek out smaller Japanese Whisky distilleries They have, and continue, to experiment with an infinite combination of whiskies, aged in at least a dozen types of casks and distilled with different grains. Yes, Japanese Whisky has made its name with age labelled product but don’t forget the Japanese master blenders have spent decades perfecting the art of whisky blending. When it comes it cocktails, we are strong believers that blended Whisky is the way to go anyway. There’s still plenty of Japanese Whisky out there and there’s more being patiently aged and awaiting its turn for the years ahead. More whisky is on the way, but the category’s growth domestically and internationally after an extended period of stagnation depleted whisky warehouses.

But new products being released to replace those that are no longer with us, and the category as a whole is enjoying increasing diversity. And yes, age labels have been removed from most ranges. Yes, Japanese whisky is in the midst of a huge supply glitch. Japanese producers do not trade with their competitors but instead, each house puts out a wide range of styles, using multiple types of stills, diverse fermentation methods, and a wide range of ageing casks.Ĭonstantly tweaking and improving their process, Japanese Distillers have a reputation of experimentation and innovation, as they are constantly refining each step of their distillation, fermentation and maturation methods. In contrast to Scotch producers, Japan’s distilleries work by a vertically integrated method, meaning the companies own both the distilleries and the brands of blended whiskies. Japanese whisky puts a particular emphasis on blending, choosing to do so in-house. While the production is still essentially the same as Scotch (distilled malted barley that is barrel-aged for a minimum of three years) the differences in the methods make Japanese Whisky distinct. In contrast to the strict classifications surrounding Scotch or Bourbon, Japanese whisky has only one: it must be made in Japan. That changed in the early 21st century when Nikka and Suntory began picking up awards at international Whisky competitions. But until the end of the 20th-century Japanese whisky was still almost an entirely domestic product. Over the 20th century, these two distilleries would go on to become Suntory (Yamazkai) and Nikka (Yoichi), the cornerstones of the Japanese whisky industry – as well as bitter business rivals.