Christmas selection: Japanase Whiskies

Japanese whisky, renowned today for its exceptional quality and unique flavours, has a relatively recent history that is rich in tradition and innovation. Born of the passion of a few pioneers and the influence of Scottish techniques, it has quickly established itself as one of the great names in world whisky.

The Trial of Japanese Whisky

Japanese whisky owes its origins to Shinjiro Torii and Masataka Taketsuru, the latter having acquired his knowledge in Scotland. Together, they set up the Yamazaki distillery on the island of Honshu, famous for its crystal-clear waters. Yamazaki is now part of the Suntory group, which also produces Hibiki and Hakushu.

At the same time, in the south, in Akashi, the White Oak distillery was born, producing remarkable Akashi whiskies without claiming the title of precursor like Suntory. In 1934, Masataka Taketsuru founded his own distillery, Nikka, in Hokkaido, in an environment reminiscent of Scotland.

After the Second World War, Japanese whisky gained in popularity with Suntory and Nikka innovating and using marketing. Suntory, for example, launched Yamazaki aged between 10 and 25 years and used Western celebrities for its advertising. Nikka introduces the square bottle of From the Barrel and its Red, White and Black editions.

In the 2000s, Japanese whisky gained international recognition thanks to awards and Hollywood. In 2001, Yoichi 10 Year Old won "Best of the Best" and in 2003, Yamazaki 12 Year Old won a gold medal at the International Spirit Challenge. Sofia Coppola's film "Lost in Translation" also shone a spotlight on Hibiki whisky, boosting its sales spectacularly.

Today, Japanese whisky enjoys a prestigious image and is highly sought-after, especially bottles with an age statement. Faced with growing demand, distilleries are struggling to supply, and many new brands and bottlings are emerging.