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Japanese Whisky
Introduction to Japanese Whisky
There are two people at the cradle of the Japanese whisky industry: Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii. Taketsuru was sent to Scotland in 1918 to learn the craft. He studied in Glasgow and interned at famous distilleries in Speyside and Campbeltown. He then returned to Japan with a wealth of information and a Japanese wife.
In 1921, he joined forces with his boss Torii. Originally, Taketsuru wanted to build a distillery on the remote island of Hokkaido, as the climate there most resembled Scotland's. However, Torii was not keen on the remote location and eventually they built Yamazaki, just outside Kyoto.
Taketsuru worked for many years as the manager of Yamazaki, but in 1934 he proceeded on his own. He eventually built a distillery on Hokkaido, named Yoichi. Today, the companies founded by Taketsuru and Torii (Nikka and Suntory) still dominate the Japanese whisky industry.
The taste of Japanese whisky
Japanese people learned how to make whisky from the Scots. They invest an enormous amount of care and time in the production process, but the whisky from Japan generally shows many similarities to Scottish whisky. Barley, for example, is not grown in Japan, and therefore some of the barley even comes from Scotland. Possibly, you could describe Japanese whisky as somewhat more refined.
The use of so-called Mizunara barrels is an aspect that is typically Japanese. This type of oak grows only in Japan and is very rare. It is quite challenging to work with and leaks more quickly. Therefore, Japanese distillers only started using Mizunara after World War II when it was difficult to obtain European or American oak. However, the flavor turned out to be very unique and delicious! Whiskies that have aged in Mizunara wood, are popular and often sell out quickly.
Does your Japanese whisky truly come from Japan?
Just because your whisky states it comes from Japan doesn't necessarily mean that's the case. The regulations for Japanese whisky are quite lenient, allowing whisky from places like Canada or Scotland to be imported to Japan and then marketed as Japanese whisky. Fortunately, more and more companies are transparent about this. If we have such information, we do our best to mention it in a product's description.
In 2021, there was good news for Japanese whisky. The regulations didn't change, but large producers agreed to provide more clarity about the origin of whisky. A positive step in the right direction!
Affordable online Japanese whisky shopping
With the beautiful selection from Tasting Collection, you're always successful. Take your time to browse in our webshop and benefit from our affordable prices. Once you've found your favorite, it's a breeze to order. We ensure that you receive your Japanese whisky quickly at home.
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