Collection: Japanese Whisky

Japanese whisky was built on the Scottish model — Masataka Taketsuru studied distilling in Scotland in the 1920s and brought the method home — but it developed into something distinct: cleaner, more precise, and more delicate than most Scotch.

Why it is hard to find

Demand overtook supply about fifteen years ago and never came back. Age-statement bottles from the major distilleries were discontinued or allocated, which is why a Yamazaki 18 costs what it does. Much of what is on the market is now non-age-statement, and that is not a downgrade — it is how the houses kept quality up with the stock they had.

A label warning worth knowing

Until 2021 there was no legal definition of "Japanese whisky". Bottles containing imported bulk spirit were sold as Japanese. The industry standard introduced in 2021 requires fermentation, distillation and ageing to happen in Japan — but it is voluntary, and older stock predates it. If provenance matters to you, stay with the established distilleries.

How to drink it

Japanese whisky suits a highball better than almost any other style — that is how it is drunk in Japan, and it is not a waste of good whisky. Cold sparkling water, plenty of ice, a long stir.

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