The History of Japanese Whisky

While whisky has long been associated with the Scotch of Scotland, the whisky made in Japan has recently become greatly in demand, with bottles gaining international accolades, and has even been awarded as the ‘Best Whisky in the World’ in recent years!

Although whisky has been produced in Japan for almost 100 years, it has only made its way onto the international market in the last few years. Since then, demand has been high for the bottles produced with a splash of Japanese innovation. The biggest players in the Japanese whisky world are Suntory and Nikka Whisky, which both have an interwoven origin.

Who Introduced Whisky Making to Japan?

Suntory was the first official whisky distillery to open in Japan, in 1923. Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory, introduced the whisky distilling as a commercial industry to Japan. He certainly did not do this alone, however, as he was aided by Masataka Taketsuru, who would go on to found Nikka Whisky.

Taketsuru, who is known as the ‘Father of Japanese Whisky’, discovered the drink while studying in Glasgow, where he spent his spare time working at the Hazelburn and Longmorn distilleries. Here he learnt the art of whisky-making. Upon returning to Japan, he was recruited by Shinjiro Torii, who wanted to work together to form the first whisky made in Japan.

Yamazaki Distillery

The first distillery created by Suntory, Yamazaki Distillery, is still running today. Here they developed their maturation process, which is fairly unique to Japan, that sees the whisky matured in different sized casks dependent on when the whisky is due to be sold.

The casks are typically made using Mizunara Oak, a tree native to Japan, meaning that the smoky and tropical flavours imparted by the oak make the taste of Japanese whiskies stand-out from those produced in the rest of the world.

After opening a second distillery, called Hakushu, one of their most famous and desired whiskies, the Hibiki Line, is created by blending together a mix of whiskies from the two distilleries!

Creation of Nikka Whisky

After ten years working at Suntory, Taketsuru left the company to start his own distillery, under the name Nikka Whisky. His first distillery was set up on Hokkaido, a small island that he saw had similarities with the Isle of Skye.

While he was concerned that his ex-colleagues at Suntory would be angry about the competition between the companies, the market share between the brands is fairly even, and the rivalry has even helped to boost sales.

How is whisky drunk in Japan?

Many whisky drinkers in Japan will enjoy a glass alongside their meal, as Japanese whisky often pairs exceptionally well with Japanese food. With strong salty and fermented flavours present in Japanese food, the bold complexities of a whisky are complementary to each dish.

There are two ways in which whisky is typically served in Japan. Firstly, whisky is drunk neat, meaning it is served with no mixer or ice. The other way, which is more fashionable, is The Highball, a drink that sees whisky mixed with soda or sparkling water and served over ice with a slice of lemon. The Highball is more commonly enjoyed as a drink alongside a meal.

What are other drinks enjoyed in Japan?

As well as whisky, a number of other alcoholic beverages are enjoyed in Japan. While some Western-style drinks have been enjoyed in recent years, for the most part, Japanese bars will serve up glasses of sake or beer.

Beers are one of the most popular drink types in Japan, yet sake is more of a traditional sip, with the rice wine drink enjoyed throughout East Asia. If you want to try any Japanese alcohol, such as beer or sake, in the UK, then check out the range of drinks available online at Oriental Mart.