In 1918, a young Japanese student Masataka Taketsuru left for Scotland with one clear goal: to learn how to make whisky. He studied in Glasgow, apprenticed at several distilleries and obsessively noted down every detail of the process. Those notes would later form the basis of the Japanese whisky industry.
Today, Japanese whisky is a phenomenon. Bottles go under the hammer for tens of thousands of euros, distilleries can barely keep up with demand and the number of producers has exploded. But at the same time, that also makes it confusing: where do you start if you just want to drink it?
To make that clear, @BottleVerdicht divided Japanese whisky into five levels.
This blog was inspired by the YouTube video The 5 Levels Of Japanese Whiskey by the channel @BottledVerdict. If you find this blog interesting and want to discover much more information about the different levels in Japanese whisky, be sure to watch this video on Youtube. At the bottom of this blog, you will once again find the link to the video, the channel itself and an embedded video player.
Level 1 - The entry level: accessible and meant for mixing
This is where everyone should start: at this level you will find whiskies that are light, fresh, accessible, and above all designed for mixing. Two names you must have tried at this level are the Suntory Toki and the Nikka Days.
Toki is a blend of whiskies from three distilleries and symbolises balance between tradition and modernity. You get fresh notes of green apple, honey and citrus. But more importantly, this whisky is made for the Japanese highball, a long, refreshing mix with ice and sparkling water. If you drink it pure and compare it to a Scottish single malt, it's probably going to disappoint.
Nikka Days is in the same price range and has a slightly more floral, softer profile. Again, perfect for everyday, without forcing complexity.
Level 2 - For aficionados: more depth and character
From here, Japanese whisky really starts to impress. The jump from level 1 to level 2 is huge. Here you drink whisky pure, not mixed.
An absolute must at this level is the Nikka From The Barrel, the Hibiki Harmony and, very often underrated, the Nikka Coffey Grain.
With its higher alcohol content, Nikka From The Barrel is a powerful, concentrated whisky with notes of butterscotch, orange peel and spices. Hibiki Japanese Harmony is an elegant blend with a complex maturation process, including the rare Japanese Mizunara wood. Expect floral notes, lychee and a soft, refined finish.
An often underrated gem is the Nikka Coffey Grain: made with a traditional Coffey still and surprisingly accessible. Think vanilla, tropical fruit and a bourbon-like smoothness.
Level 3 - The connoisseur: distillery character and age
At this level, you really start to discover the character of individual distilleries. These bottles are becoming scarce. Not because of marketing, but because Japan simply produces less than demand can handle.
At this level, the Yamazaki 12y, the Hakushu 12, Yoichi and Miyagikyo are interesting references to discover. Yamazaki is rich, fruity and elegant, with a subtle spiciness from Mizunara wood. Hakushu is fresher and greener, with notes of mint, apple and a slight smokiness. The Yoichi is reminiscent of Islay malts: powerful, smoky and almost Scottish in style. Finally, Miyagikyo is softer, fruitier and refined.
Level 4 - The collector: rare and sought-after
This is where things get serious, both in terms of taste and price. These whiskies are complex, deep and extremely balanced. Think dried fruit, chocolate, spices and long, elegant finishes. But just as important: they are hard to find. This rarity therefore drives up the price of the few bottles available firmly.
Think, for instance, of the Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18 and the Hibiki 21.
Level 5 - The unicorns: whisky as hunting and investment
Finally, you enter n the world where whisky is no longer a drink, but a trophy. Here you pay thousands or even tens of thousands of euros per bottle. Some come from closed distilleries, making them literally irreplaceable. Many of these bottles are never opened. They are investments, not drinking experiences.
So what captures the imagination in this category? A Yamazaki 25, Hibiki 30, pretty much any Karuizawa bottling and bottlings from Chichibu.
Start simple. A bottle of Suntory Toki, some ice and sparkling water, and make a highball. That's how whisky is really drunk in Japan. From there you can explore further: more depth in level 2, more character in level 3. To discover and appreciate Japanese whisky, you don't even need to venture to level 4 or 5.
This blog was inspired by the Youtube video The 5 Levels Of Japanese Whiskey by the channel @BottledVerdict. If you find this blog interesting and want to discover much more information about the different levels in Japanese whisky, be sure to watch this video on Youtube. At the bottom of this blog, you will once again find the link to the video, the channel itself and an embedded video player.
Unfortunately, you have not accepted the cookies for displaying external content. Do you still want to know what can be seen here? Then adjust your preferences in our cookie statement.
Blogger
The text you've just read was (partially) created with the help of ChatGPT . Although every story we write is thoroughly proofread and corrected with the help of ChatGPT, it can always happen that an error has crept in here and there that you, as a seasoned connoisseur, do not agree with.
Therefore, if after reading this blog you do not agree with certain statements that are put forward, please do not hesitate to let us know via service@broekmans.be so that we can further edit this text.
It is a conscious decision to explicitly mention that this blog article was written with the help of AI, as nothing is more valuable than the work, preparations and efforts made by "real" bloggers when they publish blog articles on our webshop (or elsewhere) that are not supported by AI.
