Japanese Whisky: What to Know Before You Buy/Try

Japanese Whiskey’s Scarcity and Authenticity

So let’s get this out of the way first – if you’re looking to buy bottles of Japanese whisky to take home, you’re going to need some luck! At time of writing, the availability of Japanese whisky is not great, even in Japan. You may be able to find some of the more famous brands (Yamazaki, Miyagikyo and the like), but bottles from newer Japanese distilleries can be very difficult to find on store shelves. 

As strange as it may sound, another problem you may encounter is the difficulty in ascertaining whether a Japanese whisky is actually Japanese whisky! Unfortunately, the Japanese liquor law does not stipulate that Japanese whisky must be distilled in Japan, and as a result, some companies import whisky from Scotland or Canada, bottle it in Japan, and can legally label it as Japanese whisky. New guidelines relating to what can and can’t be called Japanese whisky were introduced by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association (JSLMA) in April 2024, however adhering to these guidelines is voluntary, so while there is a better level of transparency now, there will still be bottles of Japanese whisky out there that were not actually distilled in Japan. As such, if you encounter a Japanese whisky you’ve never heard of, it’s worth doing a bit of research to confirm its provenance.

What to Try at the Whiskey Bar

The upshot of all this is that buying Japanese whisky can be tricky these days, but the good news is that you can still find a lot of great Japanese whisky to taste. You will be able to try a wide selection of excellent Japanese whisky at any good whisky bar (although be sure to check prices before ordering, and be aware that many places have a cover charge), so that’s always an option! With that in mind, here are some Japanese whiskies to look out for.

Yamazaki and Hakushu

​Most people with even a cursory knowledge of Japanese whisky would be familiar with Yamazaki and Hakushu, both owned by Suntory. The NAS versions of each of these can still be found on store shelves (sometimes!), but bottles with an age statement are much harder to track down these days, and will come with a hefty price tag. The best place to sample these, other than a nice whisky bar, is to go to the source; both Yamazaki (in Osaka) and Hakushu (in Yamanashi) have tasting counters, but reservations must be made well in advance through a lottery system on their respective websites.

Miyagikyo and Yoichi

Sister distilleries owned by Nikka, Yoichi is probably more well known (and the distillery is worth checking out if visiting Hokkaido), but Miyagikyo is also well worth trying. Yoichi tends to favour bold flavours with a fair amount of peat, while Miyagikyo is milder and fruitier.

Komagatake and Tsunuki

Hombo Shuzo, a shochu manufacturer established in 1872, owns two whisky distilleries: Mars Shinshu Distillery in Nagano, and Tsunuki Distillery in Kagoshima. Their blended whisky, Mars Iwai, is quite well known overseas, but their single malts (Komagatake and Tsunuki) are both great, particularly their cask strength offerings. 

Chichibu (Ichiro’s Malt)

Chichibu is perhaps the most well known of the next wave of Japanese distilleries, and their Ichiro’s Malt Card Series sells for eye-watering prices at auction (the full set of 54 bottles sold for almost $1 million in 2019). Their world blended whiskies (Ichiro’s Malt and Grain) can sometimes be found at bottle shops, but it’s worth heading to a nice whisky bar and checking out their single malts. It doesn’t matter which one. They’re always excellent.

Yuza

Possibly the least famous distillery on this list, Yuza was founded in Yamagata Prefecture in 2018. Yuza follows a concept called TLAS – Tiny, Lovely, Authentic, Supreme. A small-scale distillery, they are committed to producing authentic, high-quality Japanese whisky. Their first single malt was released in 2022, and their whisky seems to be getting better and better with each passing year.

Akkeshi

Akkeshi (not to be confused with Akashi, below) was founded in a remote part of Hokkaido in 2016. Akkeshi’s pot stills are made by Forsyths (and look very similar to the pot stills at Lagavulin), and their whisky is usually made with peated barley. As such, fans of Islay whisky may find a lot to enjoy with Akkeshi!

Akashi

Akashi is a whisky brand produced by Eigashima Distillery. Akashi single malt is worth a look – their standard bottling can be relatively easy to find, and if you’re interested in cask-driven whisky, they do like to experiment with some unusual cask types. Just be careful not to confuse Akashi single malt with Akashi blended whisky – they look similar, but taste very different!

Fuji

Everybody knows Kirin beer, but did you know Kirin makes whisky as well? Their whisky is usually released under the Fuji brand, and so far they have released a single malt, a single grain, and a single blended (which is a blend of malt and grain whiskies from the same distillery). Unlike most of the other whiskies on this list, Fuji is often relatively easy to find.

Keep Looking for the Best of Japanese Whisky

While the scarcity and authenticity of Japanese whisky pose challenges, the exploration of various distilleries is rewarding for enthusiasts. Alongside established brands like Yamazaki and Hakushu, newer distilleries like Yuza and Akkeshi offer unique experiences, with Yuza’s small-batch craftsmanship and Akkeshi’s peated Islay-style flavors appealing to diverse tastes. Whether visiting distilleries or tasting selections at whisky bars, researching each brand’s origins and production methods is essential to ensure an authentic experience. For those unable to bring bottles home, sampling in Japan provides a memorable way to explore the rich variety of Japanese whisky.