The Japanese Whisky Industry Article

It might surprise some to learn that whisky production in Japan first started around the year 1870, though it is only recently that the market for their spirit has exploded. Potentially the clearest milestone was reached in 2008, at an event which shook the spirits industry. It was declared at the World Whiskies Awards, held by Whisky Magazine, that the world's best single malt was, in fact, Japanese. The whisky in question being the undeniably brilliant Yoichi 20 Year Old.

It was Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii who are widely heralded as the founding fathers of today's Japanese whisky industry. Torii founded the world famous brand Suntory. Their arsenal now features a range of drinks, from soft drinks to wines and spirits. He established a little store in Osaka and his business grew until the brand gained its renown. One of their characterful expressions is Hibiki, a blended whisky crafted of malt and grain whisky from Suntory's three distilleries. Hibiki 17 year old is named for the Japanese for harmony, and this is a rather harmonious blend with notes of cherry and citrus fruit and toffeyed sweetness. In 2003, Suntory Hibiki was immortalized in the film Lost in Translation, in which Bill Murray plays an actor filming a Suntory whisky commercial.

Apart from Suntory, there is a second colossus on the Japanese whisky scene ? Nikka. Nikka was established by Masataka Taketsuru, who ventured all the way to Scotland in 1918 to discover the techniques and craft used to produce Scotch whisky. He took these skills back to Japan and built a distillery in Hokkaido in 1934. This was the Yoichi distillery, producer of the illustrious Yoichi 20. Another Nikka whisky is the Single Coffey Malt. This is distilled in a column still, so it is not technically a single malt (single malt whisky must be produced in a pot still). Regardless, Coffey Malt is a fine whisky in its own right, matured for 12 years it exhibits notes of bourbon and vanilla, espresso coffee and dried fruits.

Masataka was celebrated with a superb whisky named after him. Taketsuru 17 Year Old is a delightful blended malt whisky. Blended malt is the product of malt whisky from multiple distilleries. This classic Nikka dram is a balanced affair with notes of honey, oak and vanilla on the nose with a floral, fruity palate. Our last Japanese whisky was created by the Suntory brand. It was distilled in their first distillery, Yamazaki. Yamazaki 12 Year Old was the first seriously marketed Japanese whisky, with a nutty and floral nose and notes of sweet spice and fruit salad on the palate.

Japanese whisky has become so popular of late, but I suppose it is unsurprising. Considering the popularity of Scotch whisky and the fact that both Japanese whisky and Scotch are crafted in nearly identical ways ? the original forefathers emulated production in Scotland after all. These excellent Japanese whiskies are all available from the UK online whisky store Master of Malt.

Article Source: http://www.mycontentbuilder.com

Tyrone Nodal has been tasting whisky fro over 20 years. One of his favourites at the moment is Tomatin Whisky, a single cask single malt whisky.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated