What is Japanese Whisky?

Question

TasteAtlas · Accepted Answer

Japanese single malt, blended malt, and blended whiskies were inspired and modeled on Scottish tradition. They are double distilled from malted barley, which is occasionally peated (dried over smoked peat) and fermented grains. The spirit is then aged in oak casks, which may include American or Scottish oak, old Sherry casks, or Japanese Mizunara oak.

The official production of Japanese whiskey started in 1923 when the first distillery was opened in Yamazaki (Kyoto). The distillery was a joint effort of Shinjiro Torii and Masataka Taketsuru, who eventually went to found his own Nikka distillery on Hokkaido.

The two companies remain the biggest producers of Japanese whisky. Despite its fairly recent invention, Japanese whisky has been praised for its finesse and usually exceptional quality. Due to the recent upsurge in international popularity and the small scale of production, some distilleries even import foreign whisky and use it Japanese blends. Read more

Still, Japanese whisky holds its typical characteristic due to the specific climate, faster maturation, and water quality. Though the styles differ depending on the distillation procedure and the choice of grains, most varieties are powerful yet milder and more mellow that Scotch.

They are balanced, complex, and aromatic with a wide range of flavors and aromas. Japanese prefer to enjoy it as a highball mixed with soda water, but it can be served neat, on the rocks, or mixed with water. It can also work well as a cocktail ingredient.