now i'm into whisky and realize what i had(have), and am a bit sad it's almost gone. I couldn't agree more. Note: these bottles are equally rare and expensive in Japan so don't expect to find them for a deep discount there. Focused on the major and newer Japanese whiskies available, including Suntory (Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu) and Nikka (Coffee Grain, Coffee Malt, etc). None of the whiskies carry age statements, but the producer does offer some production info, which we’ll detail in the reviews below. What distinguishes Japanese whisky from other malts? I love Japanese whisky but agree it's a bit too pricey for what it is. I tried it near and it’s quite strong. :). Now I’m curious as to how much he might have spent back in ‘13. In our local stores the 'Nikka from the barrel' is about the cheapest japanese whiskey you can get your hands on. Several years ago, a prominent whisky reviewer proclaimed a specific Limited Edition Japanese Whisky as “Whisky of the Year.” Soonafter, interest in Japanese whisky ballooned. i appreciate the effort you put into it, New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Hi and welcome to r/whiskey! Fast-forward to today: demand has skyrocketed and Japanese producers can’t keep up. I built this small Japanese collection up over the years (disregard some of the oddballs in there). I don't mean to be disparaging about Japanese whiskey and, of course, if you've found one that suits your tastes perfectly then that's great. Which Japanese Whisky should I try or buy? I’m the only one on the mornington peninsula to have most of this, even the wholesaler looked at me weird Press J to jump to the feed. From my perspective, the main distinguishing factors of Japanese Whisky are: Designed to appeal to the Japanese palate and work in a highball cocktail, The use of Mizunara oak and other unusual casks to age some of their whiskies, The Japanese have developed a few unique tweaks to their production process which leads to some subtle differences to the end product. I’ve given up whisky and cigars. Scotch whiskey is cheaper, more easily available and has a much broader range of flavours, styles and complexities. ♥️♥️♥️ great times. I found a store in Sapporo who had a bunch of old Elements of Islay collecting dust on the top shelf (I have an LG5 with me now). Looked it up on a whim and saw what a bottle goes for these days. As a result, I almost never buy Japanese whiskey now after having tried a few in the past. We loaded up on Scotch at absolute bargain prices. https://dekanta.com/store/nikka-whisky-tsuru-17-years-old-white-ceramic-bottle/, im a million miles late on commenting on this, but this is great. Mizunara is a skinny gnarled oak tree that adds a sort of citrus spice to the whiskey. I did find Miyagikyo Single Malt (NAS) for 4.200 Yen, which would cost me 70€ back in Germany. Who knows when the current stock is gone though. I like the alternatives section. Several years ago, a prominent whisky reviewer proclaimed a specific Limited Edition Japanese Whisky as “Whisky of the Year.” Soonafter, interest in Japanese whisky ballooned. A place where we discuss, review, and read articles about whiskey. There’s a rumor floating around proclaiming that the Japanese learned whisky making from scotch producers then meticulously perfected the craft. I usually will have a finger or two for special occasions and brought it out to compensate for a COVID-restricted Thanksgiving. I'd recommended it to anyone who has been to a Scottish distillery if only to see how the Japanese present a distillery to the public in a way only the Japanese could. In my opinion, none of these factors add up to a strikingly different malt whisky. The only two that are comparable and maybe cheaper in the US as of the time of this writing are Yamazaki 12 and Hakushu 12, mainly b/c their retail price has always been substantially larger in the US, keeping demand a bit in check. so today i was looking for an alternative to the oban 14, and i got advised to try a bunnahabhain; the 18 might be a bit too expensive, do you perhaps have any recommendation as to which to try (€40-€50 range) ? Yamazaki, Hibiki and Hakushu are no where to be found. I'm late to this, but something worth noting is that some/most Japanese age statement whiskies are definitely cheaper in Japan if you can buy off of local auction sites. Find the Love Hotels and Soap Lands and just walk down every alley, you'll find one. I just got back yesterday from a snow trip to Hokkaido and traveled around Honshu 2 years ago. Also if you're in Osaka or Kyoto, the Yamazaki distillery is really easy to get to by train and worth the trip. Thankfully the Nikka Black blended is cheaper so it's the one getting mixed with coke by the young snow crowd looking for something other than cans of Strong. Nearly impossible to even find Yamazaki (NAS) in the kombini these days. Bunna 18 is a well priced personal favorite. Retailers saying 3-5 years for aged Suntory whisky to reappear. The resultant spirit is very, very similar in style and taste to scotch malt whiskey; there is almost no unique Japanese characteristic to Japanese whiskey. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, a few unique tweaks to their production process. Hatozaki Finest Japanese Whisky – A blend of malt whisky (at least 40%) and grain whisky… Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Finally got my stores most recent order!! In my opinion, none of these factors add up to a strikingly different malt whisky. Just found the same bottle going for $400 online. Our pick for the best Japanese whisky is Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky. You look at the obvious, Suntory Yamazaki, whose history and single malt style was instrumental in introducing Japanese whisky to the U.S. through the familiar concept of scotch. The Japanese whiskeys are all made using materials and processes as identical to scotch malt whiskey as possible. Many feel this way because they can easily find nearly indistinguishable scotches and other malts for a fraction of the price of their Japanese counterparts. To add to this, you can also find rare/discontinued/export-only bourbon in Japan as well, including Wild Turkey 8 (which is well-regarded), Wild Turkey 13, and Blanton's Straight from the Barrel, among several others. Then my wife surprised me with it and i was expecting JD levels of sweet, but it's actually not as sweet as the notes make it appear IMO. Some of these can be quite nice and distinctive but unfortunately demand and trophy hunting have pushed their price and availability into unobtanium territory in most areas. I fell in love with Yamazaki 12 YO but there's no way it's worth $200 AUD a bottle. I recently picked up a bottle of Fuji Sanroku for 1380 from a Liquor Mountain. Cheers and enjoy! Just thought I'd add a few pointers for those visiting Japan. I have the Nikka Takatsuru 17 (white ceramic bottle) from a trip to Japan in 2012 - paid $50 at most and shared it generously with friends and family over the last 5 years to the point where it's almost completely gone. Pretty much every Japanese malt with an age-statement has been either discontinued or allocated and now carries a high price tag. With some effort, you should be able to find these in most parts of the U.S. r/whiskey: Hi and welcome to r/whiskey! I’m in no rush. My local store usually has it, and only for about $72 a bottle. Subtle & light blend with a bit more complexity, Fuller Yamazaki 12 or unpeated Nikka from the Barrel. Unlike some of their Scotch counterparts, the Japanese prefer to not use heavily peated malt. This delicious whisky from the storied Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, which is located southwest of Kyoto, lives up the hype that now accompanies Japanese whisky—it’s some of the best whisky in the world! Nice write-up and happy to find this unexpected post on J-whisky today. Don’t give up the Japanese whisky hunt, because you can still find age statement bottles and newer, more available blends. Any ideas? If anyone is interested in anything you see, I’m open to fair offers. I am located in Nashville TN. Hey! You'll find a pretty standard assortment in konbinis. Even no year Hibiki is sold out. I love the Yamazaki 12 year. It implies that the Scots don’t pay meticulous attention to detail, quality and perfection... which is far from the truth. I have not heard many positive comments about a few outlying young blends (for instance, Mars & Toki) so I left them off the list. You'll get the cheap shit that probably isn't worth drinking (sorry, nothing that comes in a 4 litre plastic bottle is worth drinking) and a hand full of entry level single malts (mostly Nikka with a few Suntory offerings). For the Suntory products, I know for sure it's used in Yamazaki as well as Hibiki (which is a blend of spirits from the Yamazaki, Hakashu, and Chita distilleries). Buying in Japan helps a bit, but if you're there keep an eye out for Scotch too. For those that don't know Mizunara Oak probably the most distinctive thing about the Yamazaki line. Laphroaig QC at under half price. How do you drink it, in a highball or old fashioned? Even with the yen strengthening due to the recent volatility in the world markets, looking at the secondary markets, I see: Keep in mind though that Japan has been enjoying a surge of tourism for the last 5-6 years and are learning about gouging tourists.