1. Japanese Whisky
Among the world’s top five whisky-producing countries are Scotland in the UK, the USA, Ireland, Canada, and Japan. More recently, countries like Taiwan and India have also started to offer opportunities to experience their whiskies. From this perspective, there aren’t that many countries in the world that produce what can be called whisky.
Of these top five producing countries, four are located in Europe and North America. However, Japan is uniquely situated in Asia and has even achieved a distinctive status globally. It’s quite enviable for other countries that Japan holds such influence in the high-value industry of spirits.
2. Japanese Whisky Story
1) Birth
The birth of Japanese whisky can be attributed to two individuals: Torii Shinjiro and Taketsuru Masataka. It all began with Shinjiro, who had the capital, and Taketsuru, who had the expertise. Together, they established Yamazaki, Japan’s first whisky distillery.
Taketsuru was born into a family that operated a sake brewery. He continued to work in Japan’s brewing industry until 1918, when he went to study in Scotland. There, in the whisky capital of Campbeltown, he worked at a distillery and meticulously noted down the techniques and know-how in great detail. Remarkably, he also married a local woman during his time there, which was quite uncommon at the time.
Upon returning to Japan, Taketsuru faced financial difficulties. This is when he met Torii Shinjiro. Shinjiro was in need of a technician to help foster a new whisky industry in Japan, and the timing of their meeting was serendipitous, marking a historic event in the Japanese whisky industry.
Together, they built the Yamazaki distillery near Osaka. However, their partnership eventually dissolved due to philosophical differences. Torii Shinjiro aimed to create whisky that catered to the Japanese palate, while Taketsuru sought to recreate Scotch whisky. As a result, Taketsuru moved to Hokkaido and established the Nikka distillery.
2) popularity
The story of Taketsuru became so famous in Japan that it inspired a drama series called “Massan,” which was a significant hit. This drama played a crucial role in making Japanese people aware of the high-quality whisky produced in their own country.
Jim Murray, the author of the Whisky Bible and a renowned critic, selected the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 as the Whisky of the Year in 2015. This recognition, coupled with the surge in interest following the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a whisky boom.
As a result of this explosive increase in demand, the prices of Japanese whisky skyrocketed. Compared to these prices, traditionally expensive brands like Macallan and Springbank started to appear more affordable. Consequently, high-aged versions of Japanese whisky became difficult to find locally due to their soaring popularity and demand.
3) Regulation
The explosive growth of the market brought vitality to the industry. However, in the food sector, this can lead to a decrease in quality. With new businesses entering the new market, new distilleries and products started to emerge.
From a traveler’s perspective, when visiting Japan, one might want to purchase famous products, but they are often sold out. This leads to purchasing other products labeled as Japanese Whisky, raising concerns about their quality. Some places might even import bulk whisky from abroad or mix with neutral spirits, leading to undesirable practices.
To address these concerns, in 2021, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association established regulations for Japanese Whisky:
All processes of fermentation, saccharification, aging, and bottling must take place within Japan.
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- Water used in the ingredients must be from Japan.
- The alcoholic strength of the distilled spirit must be less than 95%.
- Oak barrels with a capacity of 700L or less must be used for aging.
- The whisky must be aged for a minimum of three years.
- Only caramel coloring is allowed to be added.
These regulations aim to ensure the quality and authenticity of Japanese Whisky, protecting consumers and preserving the integrity of the industry.
3. My Opinion
The story and background of Japan, as a nation, evoke a bit of envy. For any product to be sold, it must be imbued with value, and factors such as historical events, stories, time, and rarity are crucial in assigning this value.
While other producing countries may share similar attributes, it feels like Japanese Whisky possesses all of these elements.