The Dram Rises in the East

What makes Japanese whisky the most sought after liquor in the world

Ifirst tasted the Yamazaki 25 YO at a blind whisky tasting in London, in 2016. As a judge on the World Whisky Awards panel, it was one of 48 whiskies I tasted that cold February day. The deep and intense whisky was sublime, distinctive, assertive with rich aroma and a long finish. I was keen to know the name of the whisky, since it just stood way above all other whiskies we had tasted that day. Later that evening, at the World Whisky Awards ceremony, The Yamazaki 25 YO, was declared The Best Single Malt in the World. Just another notch on the belt for the hugely successful Japanese whisky industry. Background Score The story of Japanese whisky goes back just about a 100 years, when Suntory, headquartered in Tokyo, pioneered Japanese whisky. Renowned for their art of blending, the founding father of Japanese whisky, Shinjiro Torii, dreamed of creating an authentic Japanese whisky by choosing a terrain and climate completely different to that of Scotland, thereby cultivating unique conditions for maturation. Since then, there has been no looking back as Japanese whiskies have continued their conquests of the global palate. An assurance of quality, astute marketing, taste, varied styles and a great pairing versatility has pushed the case for their popularity. For the Japanese, the soul of whisky lies in understanding the entire process of making that whisky. This includes the quality of the water to the right grain, fermentation, casks and the distillation process. A good distiller will arrive at the best combination, which will produce a balanced whisky. Blending spirits is about creating a harmonious flavour by weaving culture and tradition along with one’s own form of self-expression; a balanced blend, reflecting Japanese craftsmanship. Interestingly, Japanese whiskies have grown at a faster pace than scotch, bourbon and Irish whiskies over the last few years. Even though some of the most sought-after whiskies have stopped production, the pace of growth in value and volume is quite

significant. A recent entrant in to the Indian market, Suntory with its brands, like Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakshu and the other Japanese giant Nikka with Miyagikyo, Yoichi and Nikka, are feeling the shortage of whisky. These brands were leading the explosion of the Japanese whisky industry and enjoy a huge following globally. The Dram’s demand and supply conundrum After the discontinuation of Hibiki 17 YO, it is rumoured that Nikka Taketsuru’s aged variants may not be available either. Market feedback also suggests that Suntory and Nikka may have removed key expressions, including The Hibiki 12, Hibiki 17, Hakushu 12, Nikka Coffey Malt, Nikka Coffey Grain, among others, due to a lack of the ageing stock needed to create them. This has only led to an increase in prices as well as an introduction of non-aged Statement whiskies. Once the core brands may not easily available, Whisky enthusiasts will move beyond to discover new variants. One such brand is Chichibu. In 2003, Ichiro Akuto—a Japanese whisky rockstar—launched Chichibu, which is fuelling a serious fan club following among serious drinkers. Japan also launched Kirin Fuji Gotemba Grain Whisky that won several awards. In India, another variant Kirin Fuji Sanroku was in