Community Favorites: Japanese Whiskies

The Miyagikyo distillery was built in 1969 as a counterpart to the Yoichi distillery. Miyagikyo produces, in general, more fruity and delicate malts in comparison to Yoichi where peaty, oily malt whiskies are king. The pot stills here are heated with steam rather than direct fire coal. As with all of Nikka's whiskies, balance and complexity are sought in the production.

This blended malt whisky is named after Mastaka Taketsuru, a Japanese man that studied whisky production in Scotland, fell in love with a Scotswoman, and founded and built what would become Nikka Whisky. This whisky is a blend of the two malt whisky distilleries Taketsuru built, Yoichi and Miyagikyo and is named in his honor.

This Pure Malt (also known as Vatted Malt or blended malt) is whisky distilled at two different malt whisky distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi. With varying elements of whisky production from different peat levels, different yeasts, variations on fermentation and distillation, types of casks used and length of time aged.

This whisky is produced at Nikka's Yoichi distillery located on Japan's northern most island, Hokkaido. The location of the distillery was chosen for its elevation and cool climate, proximity to a forest for access to wood for barrels, and a high quality water source nearby. This distillery still employs direct coal fired pot stills, something even the Scots rarely still do.

Yamazaki is a single malt distillery, Japan's oldest, that utilizes several different sizes and shapes of stills and three varieties of wood to in which to age them. This bottling gets its influence primarily from American ex-bourbon barrels, but ex-Spanish oloroso sherry and Japanese Mizunara oak barrels are also in employ.

There is an art to blending the whiskies here. Yes, this is a single malt distillery, but it is the variety of whiskies that are made here that make Yamazaki whisky special. It is the variety of shapes and sizes of the stills, the variety in the sizes and kind of barrels used and it is the different ages chosen to make this whisky. In this case, all are at least 18 years old, but some are much older. Roughly 80% of the whisky is aged in Sherry cask with American and Mizunara casks used for the remaining 20%.

The Yoichi 10 Year is produced at Nikka's Yoichi distillery located on Japan's northernmost island, Hokkaido. The location of the distillery was chosen for its elevation and cool climate, proximity to a forest for access to wood for barrels, and a high quality water source nearby. This distillery still employs direct coal-fired pot stills, something even the Scots rarely still do. This whisky is discontinued, as stocks are currently too low for Yoichi to release age statement whiskies.

Created in 1989 but only recently available in the United States, Hibiki is a blend of single malts from Suntory's two distilleries, Yamazaki and Hakushu, and grain whisky from their Chita distillery. The design of the bottle is meant to symbolize the 24 seasons of the Japanese lunar calendar. Note: Announced in 2018, this product will be discontinued in some markets at some point beginning in 2019 with limited availability in the next few years.

The Taketsuru whiskies are comprised of selected blended malts from the two Nikka distilleries, Miyagikyo and Yoichi, and are named after Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka. Taketsuru-san first learned how to distill in Scotland in 1919 at several distilleries which includes an apprenticeship at the Hazelburn distillery in Campbeltown.

Malt whiskies from Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries are blended with grain whisky from their Chita distillery; all are aged at least 12 years and some much older. All 3 distilleries are owned by Suntory so they can create exactly what they want. Another unique attribute is the placing of plum wine (Umeshu) into old American barrels to season them for 2 years and then aging some of their whisky inside.