Japanese whisky makers in high spirits as accolades pour in

yes, nice article. I have US friends ready to pay, no questions asked, more than 20.000 yen/bottle of Japanese whisky. unfortunately I never liked whisky myself, but I can see how they are very popular. It's amazing how good the Japanese became in less than 100 years at this rather laborious process of distilling ultra high quality whisky...

Nikka 15 year old Single Malt. Liquid Honey!! Can`t beat it

And yet 30 years ago Japanese whisky dominated by Suntory churnned up some real nasty snake oil like Suntory Old, Suntory Red, Suntory White, etc. I think things turned around when Nikka started coming out with products like pure malt sold in a 500ml bottle and single cask.

This Ichiro distillery makes soem fabulous whiskey. Chichibu, Ichiro's blend, double distillery and Malt and Grain all great. Little bit pricey but happy to pay for quality. Also like Taketsuru. Like in many things Japan took this and perfected it. Plus we have good water in Japan.

Makes fabulous whiskey. As good as anything coming out of Scotland. As do many other Japanese distilleries. combination of great ingredients (including water) and top craftsmanship.

It's so unusual that in 2014, Suntory's Yamazaki single-malt whisky and Hibiki blended whisky are among the most highly desired whiskys in the world. As someone said earlier, back in the old days Suntory wasn't exactly known for fine whiskys.

I also think craft brewing--which is starting to take hold in Japan--could in the next 15 years change the beer brewing industry in Japan, especially if they start to relax the protection laws over some onsen water sources that could allow for the production of specialty ales, porters and stouts on a larger scale from smaller brewers challenging the big established brands like Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo. It's akin to how smaller distilleries like Nikka forced Suntory to upgrade the quality of their whiskys.

Yes, i agree this is a great whisky. Beating the Jocks at their own game. i wonder how much they sell in China - seems like a perfect opportunity.

Whiskey has caused far more pain than pleasure. Why is drinking this stuff legal, when it makes so many people so violent, when smoking a spliff has not caused a moment's suffering to the user or those around.

Zichi

The price of 15 years whiskey and a 30years bottle is like chalk and cheese. Although anyone can find a 15 years bottle whether it be Japanese or Scotch for less then 10,000 yen, a 30 years whiskey will go for more then 30,000 yen for any brand.

Personally I find them a little sweet and lacking Scottish whiskey complexities because, well, they aren't from Scotland and can't be because they are Japanese. The drink of god:

Bunnahabhain 12 and or 18

Commercial production has been around in Japan since the 1920’s after a student who learned the art of whisky making in Scotland helped start the Yamazaki distillery near Kyoto.

At this year's OTAKON in Baltimore, one of the panels was "Japanese Whisky 101". During the panel, the story of how whisky got its start in Japan brought a grin to everyone in attendance. The "student" was being groomed to take over his father's sake business, but he wanted to learn to make whisky. He convinced his father (somehow) that learning brewing practices in Scotland would result in a superior sake when applied back in Japan. Once he got to Scotland, he abandoned any thought of brewing sake and instead concentrated solely on how to make good whisky. When he returned, he got government approval and funding for his own "sake" brewery, but the only thing he bottled there was whisky. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Always have a bottle of Yoichi single malt at home. If Scotland breaks away, all my whisky will be Japanese.

Folks, the timing of this article is good! NHK is starting a new asadora (morning drama series) called "Massan."

It's about Masataka Taketsuru (Masa-san), Japan's pioneer whisky-maker and his wife, Jessie Roberta Cowan. Perfect timing to hear the romanticist's version of whisky (not whiskey, American-style) history here in Japan!

Strong alcohol ruins lives. Damn Japanese whiskey has caused me no end of trouble, these people are not artisans or heroes that make it, they are drug dealers plain and simple, of a socially acceptable, addicitive drug, which makes more than a few of its takers very violent indeed.

Allot of this is "we copied you, made it better, now we are the best" syndrome we see in Japan. US makers of whiskey still reign, even if they answer to some Japanese in Tokyo. Shame.

Am looking forward to sampling some Japanese whiskey. I have no doubt that it is excellent.

Loved Zoetrope, great selection. There are some rarities in the japanese whisky selection like smokey ones as well. The variety is increasing and the quality is excellent, just a little pricey.