This Yoichi, Hokkaido facility would soon make whisky. Taketsuru went on to found the Dai Nippon Kaju, or “Great Japanese Juice Company,” in 1934. But after Yamazaki was complete, the two icons had a falling out. This was the country’s first legit whisky distillery. Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii hired Taketsuru to build the Yamazaki Distillery in Osaka.

He traveled to Scotland to learn how whisky was made and came back as Japan’s leader on the subject. It’s a very smooth Scotch and costs half as much as a bottle of Miyagikyo.Īs I mentioned earlier, Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka, is the godfather of Japanese whisky. Short stills with an extended distillation time lead to a fruity and elegant flavor profile.

And this single malt is notable in its complete lack of peated malt. This whisky comes from a unique distillery that straddles the border between the Highlands and the Lowlands of Scotland. The final Glen alternative to Miyagikyo is Glengoyne 10 Year. And this Speyside malt is even more affordable than Glenmorangie! They both share a Sherry cask influence and a light, fruity profile. Glen Moray “Classic” is another excellent alternative to Miyagikyo.

Because Glenmorangie Original costs about half as much as Miyagikyo. The main difference is the vanilla and caramel ex-Bourbon influence of the Highlands-distilled Glenmorangie. The flavor profiles of both are similar too. The first whisky that comes to mind is Glenmorangie “Original.” Like Miyagikyo, Glenmorangie has very tall stills which produce lighter whiskies. The qualities of these whiskies are just as good. So if you’re looking for the perfect alternative to Nikka Miyagikyo, Scotch is where I recommend you look. Furthermore, the father of Japanese whisky and Nikka’s founder, Masataka Taketsuru, designed it this way. His first love remains whiskey, but he is partial to tequila, rum, gin, cognac, and all things distilled.The whole Japanese whisky industry is based on Scotch. His work has appeared in many different national outlets covering trends, new releases, and the stories and innovators behind the spirits. Jonah Flicker is an experienced writer who has been covering spirits and traveling the world, visiting distilleries to taste and discover for many years. Of course, try these whiskies on their own, too, to truly get familiar with their character. Depending on the bottle, you can also use Japanese whisky in classic whisky cocktails, such as the old-fashioned or Manhattan. In fact, the Japanese highball is a simple drink that is very popular in Japan, a combination of whisky, soda water, and a slice of lemon or citrus peel. You can definitely use Japanese whisky in cocktails. Overall, the style of Japanese whisky runs the gamut, from peated to sherry cask-influenced, to light and floral. As it stands now, some bottles include whisky imported from other countries into the blend, but these are starting to be labeled as world whiskies. Recently, regulations have been put into place which should become law over the next few years to properly define Japanese whisky. How is it different from other types of whisky? Blending is very important in Japanese whisky, as many distilleries make different types of whisky which are married together by the master blender before bottling. Single malts and blends are the main styles made, using pot and column stills and aged in a variety of barrel types, including ex-bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Japanese mizunara oak. Japanese whisky is most similar to scotch whisky in terms of its production methods. Some Japanese whisky is made from rice or corn sometimes it can be a blend of malted barley, rice, and/or corn, depending on the preference of the distillery. This can lend a smoky taste with a lighter flavor profile. Japanese whisky is made from malted barley, which can be peated, borrowing some techniques used in Scottish whisky. That latter, Mizunara, is native to Japan and, therefore, can contribute to the flavor of Japanese whisky, too. Other times they have been aged in Mizunara oak, which imparts something of a sandalwood flavor. Some of them have had bourbon, or at times, they use sherry casks. Most Japanese whiskies are aged in wood casks.

It ranges from a pale gold, almost straw-like color, to a rich amber. Japanese whisky can be lighter in color, typically, than other whiskeys you may have encountered before, such as Scotch whisky. For a good bet under $50, try the Mars Shinshu Iwai Japanese Whisky. If you can snag a bottle, you won’t be disappointed. It’s aged in a combination of cask types, resulting in a fruity, spicy, and oaky single malt whisky that is best sipped on its own. Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky isn’t exactly a cheap bottle of Japanese whisky, but it’s arguably the best.

Nikka whiskey near me