The Suntory distillery in Japan |
It’s called the land of the rising sun and though we equate small
electronics, Hondas and Hello Kitty
with Japan, few realize that whisky has long been part of the fabric of this
country. Whisky summons images up Scotland and Ireland and even parts of the
American Bible Belt, but whisky in Japan has been made for over 85 years. Suntory’s
Japanese whiskies available in the U.S. include Yamazaki 12 and 18-year old single malts, and Hibiki, a blended whisky which gained attention when people saw it
in the 2003 film Lost In Translation
starring Bill Murray. Murray’s
character is in Tokyo to shoot a whisky commercial when he befriends Scarlett Johansen, and that whisky is
Hibiki.
The first dedicated Japanese distillery didn’t appear until
1923 and though the training of the innovative Japanese, who learned
traditional distillation techniques from the Scots themselves, might imply
these are Scotch whiskies dressed up to look Japanese, nothing could be further
from the truth. Yes, there are similarities, but the Japanese have created an entirely
different take on whisky. The two fundamental differences are the wood used to
age the whisky, and the water used for distillation. Whisky in Japan is aged in
American and Spanish oak casks, old bourbon barrels, but the use of Japanese mizunara oak from Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, creates
a unique texture not found in traditional whiskies, imparting a sweet, citrusy
element. Water too is essential to the making of any great spirit. “Nestled on
the periphery of Kyoto, this region was formerly referred to as ‘Minaseno’ the
field where one of Japan’s purest waters originates,” says Yoshi Morita, Sales
and Marketing Manager at Suntory. And it is where the three rivers, Katsura,
Uji and Kizu come together to form the Yodo
River. The water used in the Yamazaki whiskies is the same water originally
used for Japanese tea ceremonies as
far back as the 16th century. Hibiki deviates from Yamazaki in that
it is a blended whisky, utilizing bamboo charcoal filtering and laborious
blends of multiple whiskies. Once the whisky has been aged in white oak casks
it matures in Umeshu casks which are
plum liqueur-seasoned, and this creates a slightly fruity aroma. The addition
of malt aged more than 30 years adds to the unique blend.
Dave Broom author of the The World Atlas of Whisky knows more than me. Broom says that
Japanese whiskies have been successful in Europe and Scandinavia, and that there’s
some growth in the U.S. But what is driving this relatively new attention to
Japanese whiskies? “Interest in all things Japanese, from food, lifestyle and
aesthetics, combined with a growing interest in single malts,” Broom tells me.
And Scotch single malt drinkers, ever a rising category, are discovering
something new and untasted before. Additionally with the hip factor of single
malts, there are new drinkers coming to whisky with no preconceived limitations
of where whisky should come from, and no trained rhetoric that Scotland should
be the premier maker of whisky. The problem for the U.S. is that the majority
of Japanese whiskies are not yet available here, like Irichio’s Malt, Nikka, and Karuizawa, among others. Which begs the question: Is Japanese whisky
similar to the pet rock, and frozen yogurt, merely a fad that will burn brightly,
but then fade? “I think the novelty factor is there for sure,” Broom suggests, “and
is one way in which people first try it, but as the category grows, as the
brands become more widely available, it becomes a choice based on taste.” And
Japanese whiskies are winning a number of international spirits competitions
based on taste and not pedigree, since competition means the submitted whiskies
are tasted blind. “Japanese whisky might not be able to slug it out with Scotch
blends, but in single malt? Yes,” Broom says. He suggests that even the
biggest-selling global single malt, Glenfidich
from Scotland, only sells a million cases worldwide, therefore a brand such as
Yamazaki can compete. And we know from history that if the Japanese want
to dominate a market category – ever heard of Toyota and Sony? - they can do
it. Overall production is low but there is an assertive group of Japanese distillers
who want to see their whisky on your table in Los Angeles and New York. “Japanese
distilleries were not producing significant volumes a decade ago. What you are
seeing now is the start of a long campaign,” Broom advises. Indeed Japanese
distilleries are anxious for the U.S. market but they still need to handle the
vexing labyrinth of American import rules, regulations and tariffs, plus the
needed capital to sustain a long advertising war, and that still could take
years. At any rate, if you get the chance, try a Japanese whisky.
The interior at Suntory |
~Yamazaki 12 Year Old
($45)
A light fruit and spice to the nose, then it coats the moth
with a heavier viscosity followed by sweet cherry and dried fruit back note.
There is youthfulness to this whisky, bright and celebratory.
~Yamazaki 18 Year Old
($125)
A deeper, richer nose on this older sibling paves the way to
a smoky, soft and mature sweet oak single malt, stronger on the mid-palette. There
is a mellowness present here, nearly sherry-like, ideal for sipping.
~Hibiki 12 Year Old
($55)
With scents of caramel apple, vanilla and butterscotch with
a whiff of nutmeg, this blended whisky is soft on the front palette, letting
lose on the back where it expresses itself best, ending with a near pepper
note.
~Irichio’s Malt Mizunara
Wood Reserve (not available in the U.S.)
The Japanese oak in this whisky, nearly a fruit-driven plum
and apricot, restrains the higher alcohol content. There’s a whisper of sweet
here though balanced against the soft malt. These are small batches, tough to
find, but present an idea of boutique distilleries coming of age in Japan.
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