Even the simple, squat bottle is in contrast to the profound complexity within. It is delightful sipped neat and also blossoms with water. It is typically Japanese, yet singularly magnificent. Beyond its delightful flavors, Nikka From the Barrel presents some paradoxes worthy of contemplation over a glass. Overall, it feels generously malty, with the grain whisky lending broad sweetness and supple mouthfeel across the long finish. Among the tangle of spices, tasters identified chili pepper, allspice, cloves, and universally adored its ginger note. Earthiness appears as dried autumn leaves, coffee, old oak, and tobacco. Soft, sweet butterscotch and orange peel meet poached pears and stone fruits. Free tours are available every day except Wednesdays.Critic tasting note: "Notably balanced and elegant, the colorful palette of whiskies combines for tremendous depth of flavor. Just a little more than a two-hour drive from Tokyo, its site is at the base of the mountain and capitalizes on the area’s mineral-rich soil and underground water vein, which yields spring water that’s perfect for making whisky. Fuji, this Kirin-owned distillery was founded in the 1970s by an international partnership of alcohol industry gurus Seagram’s from Canada, Chivas Brothers of Scotland, Four Roses from America and Kirin. Warm up after your tour with a tasting and a look around the gift shop. It reopened only a few years ago after having shuttered in 1992 - a sign that Japanese whisky is on the rise. Two hours southwest of Nagano, the Hombo Shuzo Co.-owned Mars Shinshu sits in a lovely wooded area higher in altitude (2,600 feet) than any other distillery in the country, leaving it blanketed with snow in the wintertime. Only Japanese tours (that include a tasting) are offered here. Surrounded by two rivers, the picturesque setting lends Miyagikyo a soft, mild malt. Brush up on your Japanese as tours here are only given in the native tongue, but they do include a tasting of the malts produced at Yoichi.Īlso owned by Nikka, Miyagikyo was built in its location near Sendai City in northern Japan because of the combination of its clean air, mild humidity and water access. Mountains surround three sides of the distillery with the fourth bordered by the sea, lending Yoichi its peaty, masculine flavor, akin to that of an Islay scotch whisky. Second to Suntory is the Nikka Whisky Distilling Co., which owns this handsome distillery located about an hour and a half west of Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido - the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, and the last to be developed. Take the tour (conducted in Japanese but with audio guides in English, French and Chinese) and enjoy a sample of the housemade spirits. Like Yamazaki, Hakushu boasts impressive accolades: A Suntory blend of whiskies from the two distilleries, Hibiki 21 Year Old, won World’s Best Blended Whisky at the 2013 World Whiskies Awards. In a beautiful wooded setting, the grounds smell of fir trees and are hushed with the noise of local birds, identified in Hakushu’s campus avian sanctuary. After the tour, learn more about the award-winning brand in the Yamazaki Whisky Museum.Īlso owned by Suntory, Hakushu is nestled in the Japanese Southern Alps approximately two and a half hours west of Tokyo via train. Don’t leave without a taste on the tour: Last year, the World Whiskies Awards named Yamazaki 25 Year Old the World’s Best Single Malt Whisky. Established by Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii in 1923, it is a 15-minute train ride from Kyoto, and the stunning whisky library - with more than 7,000 cataloged bottles elegantly displayed - is worth a transcontinental plane ticket alone. Japan’s first whisky distillery and the mother of them all, Yamazaki is at the top of the list of must-visit distilleries. Not to mention, the country’s excellent domestic train routes make it easy to navigate straight to the source of your new favorite tipple. Most of Japan’s whisky distilleries welcome visitors with English-speaking tours and shops selling both exported and limited-release products. In fact, the quality is so good that it commonly wins over scotch in whisky competitions. Gracing menus at high-end lounges and sold at a growing number of spirits shops, Japanese whisky is just as good as your favorite scotch, if not better. Japanese whisky has become more popular thanks to an increasing awareness in its homeland, and strong demand in the States and elsewhere. Japanese sake, we know: We drink this so-called “rice wine” (which technically is closer to a beer) both cold and warm with sushi and then some from a delicate little cup - or, in more traditional scenarios, a small wooden box.īut in Japan, another spirit is gaining ground - and it looks a lot like Scotland’s most famous export.
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