On a recent post on social media, someone new to the whisky world asked for what a favorite Japanese whisky was of the group. They got a response of a bunch of single malt distilleries, and this caused a great deal of confusion. The truth is, the posters forgot to mention all the Canadian whisky that also goes into a bottle of Japanese whisky!
Read MoreI’ll stand out on a (not so high) limb and say that Nikka Whisky from The Barrel is the best Japanese whisky that you can both find, and actually afford. There are lots of issues with Japanese whisky, and as far as drinking, this is one of the few solutions available to those that want to explore the category.
Read MoreMiyagikyo Distillery makes both malted barley and grain whisky for the Nikka lines of Japanese whisky. The pot stills used to make this single malt are plentiful, large, and heated slowly to focus on floral notes.
Read MoreThe beginner’s guide to Japanese whisky can be summarized with five big issues, and one big draw:
Issue #1: It’s complicated. The Japanese whisky world is complicated. It’s very complicated. The legal definition of Japanese whisky is a lot more complex than the cultural expectations. But basically, to be called Japanese whisky, the whisky doesn’t need to be made in Japan. Trusting the producer is the first critical step. Buying second-hand single malt scotch whisky blended with Japanese spirit at inflated Japanese whisky prices is possible.
Read More
