8/10/2023 0 Comments Japanese whiskey brandsCraft distillery Hanyu came about in 1946, and legendary Karuizawa ten years later. ![]() Other distilleries began appearing to meet the demand. This kept the two companies afloat during a tumultuous time.Īfter the war, Japanese whisky steadily gained prominence domestically. The latter had a particular affinity for their whiskies.ĭuring WWII, the two companies would be commissioned to supply the Japanese military with whisky rations. In their early year, the market for their products was mostly limited to wealthy businessmen and the military. The Yamazaki and Yoichi distilleries would begin a fierce competition that continues to this day. In 1937, Suntory Kakubin was released, becoming the most successful Japanese whisky of all time. It didn’t happen overnight, but by 1936, the Nikka Yoichi Distillery was founded in Hokkaido. Rita connected her husband with several investors that would back the creation of a new whisky distillery. He demoted Taketsuru, who went on to quit. The accumulation of these events was too much for Torii to handle. The use of caramel coloring is allowed.Ĭheck out this list (in Japanese) of the union’s members to get an idea of which brands will begin complying with these new standards. This aging must occur in Japan and for a minimum of three years.įinally, the whisky must be bottled in Japan at a minimum of 40% ABV. And the ABV of the distilled spirit has a maximum of 95%.įurther more, wood casks less than 700 liters must be used. Saccharification, fermentation, and distillation must all occur in Japan. Malted grains must always be a component of this. Their idea is to bring the definition of Japanese whisky in-line with the rest of the world’s prominent whisky-producing countries.Īccording to the Association, for a whisky to be called “Japanese whisky” or “made in Japan,” it must meet several requirements.įirst, it must be made from cereal grains. Many of the biggest names in Japanese whisky are members. The Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association is behind these new voluntary standards. The truth is complicated, but the new standards are a net positive. Many regular consumers cried foul, having just realized that they had been duped. The 2021 announcement of voluntary label standards for Japanese whisky has caused a stir.Įnthusiasts have heralded this as the dawn of a new age in transparency. We’ll start with the lighter issue which is tied to Japan’s native spirits: shochu and awamori. One of them is fairly innocuous, but the other is malignant. Unfortunately, Japanese whisky has a couple of other issues that are adding confusion to the market. The above dynamics of supply and demand are easy to understand. ![]() ![]() There are not many of these whiskies left on retail shelves, and will they be discontinued next? Prices for these bottles have nearly doubled in just a few years. This has led collectors and enthusiasts to speculatively gobble-up other marquis labels. The vanishing quantities of discontinued bottlings have fueled much of this. This practice does produce really good whisky but also introduces much younger whiskies into the blend.Īnother side effect of the red-hot market has been staggering increases in price. Meanwhile, many of the aged stocks that would have gone into these popular products have been diverted into new non-age statement (NAS) brands. Nikka has been especially heavy-handed, essentially removing all of their age statement brands. In response, the major producers Suntory and Nikka have discontinued many of their famous age statement brands. At the same time, supplies of the most sought-after brands are incredibly low. The popularity of Japanese whisky is at an all-time high. Years of under-production, coupled with increasing demand, have resulted in famous products disappearing and prices soaring.
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