10 High-End Japanese Whiskey Brands + Must-Haves to Add to Your Collection 2024

1. Yamazaki

Yamazaki Whisky is Suntory's flagship single malt whisky, from Japan’s first and oldest malt distillery, multi-layered with fruit and Mizunara aromas. Yamazaki continues to experiment with the shapes and sizes of its stills, as well as the types of barrels it uses for maturation. Expect rich texture, palpable complexity, and unmistakable character from every sip of the brand’s top vintages.

From Yamazaki was born the surprising, delicate yet profound experience of a Japanese single malt whisky.

Spiritual and deep, made at Yamazaki Distillery, the soulplace of Japanese whisky, its signature multi-layered taste is highly praised by whisky connoisseurs all over the world. Today, Suntory Single Malt Whisky Yamazaki Whisky is not only the No.1 single malt whisky in Japan, but is enjoyed in more than 35 countries.

If you have the cash to spare (as in thousands and thousands of dollars), track down the Yamazaki 25-Year-Old Single Malt, which is aged exclusively in sherry casks and limited to just 12,000 bottles per year. Along similar lines, the Yamazaki 18-Year-Old Single Malt is the stuff of legend, though it too can get outrageously expensive. To hedge your bets, start off with a dram of the award-winning 12-Year—it will still cost you, but not nearly as much.

Yamakazi Sherry Cask Single Malt

Price: $3,999

If you're ready to move up from those bottom-shelf whiskies, one of the biggest steps you could possibly take is the Yamakazi Sherry Cask Single Malt, frequently deemed one of the greatest whiskies in the world. Aged in Spanish sherry casks crafted from oak, Suntory specifically doesn't reveal how long the whisky is kept in the barrels, infusing mystery within the robust flavor every Yamazaki bottle in their line-up promises. If you're wondering about the high price point, only 3,000 bottles were released and—chances are—you're probably not going to get your hands on one.

Where Can You Buy Japanese Whiskey?

You can go Wine.com to buy Japanese Whiskey, and don't forget to sign up at Extrabux (What is Extrabux?) , then you can get up to 5% super cashback from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get $20 welcome bonus!

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And you can also go wine-searcher.com and Suntory Whisky to find Japanese Whiskey. No cashback available.

2. Hakushu

From Suntory’s mountain forest distillery, nestled deep in Mt. Kaikomagatake, Suntory Single Malt Whisky Hakushu is the fresh and gently smoky single malt whisky with herbal notes that is the revelation of Japanese single malts. 

Straight from the untouched forests, soft and crisp waters and mountains of the Southern Japanese Alps, it is no wonder that Hakushu is a "green and fresh" whisky.Created by the dream for a new type of whisky of Keizo Saji, the second master blender, the unique taste made in distinct.

Four seasons in high altitude is praised by the most curious whisky connoisseurs and lovers of gastronomy. Its crisp and vibrant feel, unique in a single malt whisky, enlivens and liberates your senses.

If you fancy yourself some smoky whisky, consider this your Japanese brand of choice. Each benchmark expression is distilled from 100 per cent malted barley, which has been dried over a peat fire. You don’t need us to tell you that the 25-year will taste the best and cost the most. For an extra dose of delicious smoke, track down the Hakushu Heavily Peated.

HAKUSHU Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old

• Color: Champagne gold

• Nose: Basil, pine needle, green apple

• Palate: Sweet pear, mint, kiwi

• Finish: Green tea, subtle smoke

Hakushu 12 Year Old is one of the top selling bottles of whisky produced by Suntory. If you like the peated flavour of Scottish single malt whiskies, then Hakushu will blow your away! The Hakushu line stands among other top selling Suntory products including favorites such as the Yamazaki and Hibiki.

3. Hibiki

Launched: 1989

Suntory Whisky Hibiki is a harmonious blend, blessed with the riches of Japanese nature and craftsmanship.

"Kanzen" or complete, Hibiki Whisky is a harmonious blend of innumerous malt and grain whiskies which are meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas. Seductive, blossoming and enigmatic, Hibiki® Whisky celebrates an unrivaled art of blending, fine craftsmanship and a sense of luxury from the House of Suntory.

Hibiki was launched in 1989 to commemorate Suntory’s 90th anniversary, and has ever since been embraced as the paragon of The Art of Japanese Whisky, the very product of Japanese nature and her people. Hibiki® Whisky is not only Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky, but among the most prestigious and honoured whiskies in the world.

Statements like the Hibiki 21-Year and 30-Year are widely considered some of the most delicious whiskies on the planet, period. For something that you can actually afford, Hibiki Harmony will certainly suffice. Beyond the floral nose lies a smooth body of sherried sweetness and light smoke.

Suntory Hibiki 21 Year Old

• Color: Bronze amber

• Nose: Cooked fruit, blackberry, ripe banana, caramel

• Palate: Sandalwood, honeycomb, dried apricot and Mizunara (Japanese oak)

• Finish: Long, rich with incense aroma

“If you can find it, you can savour it,” says Ang. “It’s one of the most awarded Japanese Hibikis to date and has a demand to match”. And did we mention price tag? Not exactly affordable but deserving as some bottles can still be found kicking around. Think of this one as an investment if you must.

4. Yoichi

• Founder: Masataka Taketsuru

• Launched: 1940

• Location: Hokkaido

Yoichi Single Malt is a range of single malt expressions from the Yoichi Distillery, Nikka's first distillery built in 1934. The founder Masataka Taketsuru chose the town of Yoichi in Hokkaido because of the similar environmental conditions to Scotland, where he learned whisky-making. 

Yoichi malts are described as bold and strong with refined peaty notes and smokiness brought by the traditional direct coal-fired distillation. Sea breeze from the Ishikari Bay delivers a briny hint to the whisky during maturation.

5. Miyagikyo

• Launched: 1969

• Location: Sendai city, Miyagi Prefecture

Replacing the previous NAS Miyagikyo single malt as well as the remaining age statement expressions, this single release will represent the distillery going forward as demand for Japanese whisky remains as strong as ever. The new single malt is said to be made with whiskies spanning various ages (hinting at the inclusion of older whiskies than the previous NAS release) with classic delicate, floral character and primarily ex-Sherry casks used for maturation.

If you’d rather stick with something more traditional, the 15-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky won’t disappoint.

6. Nikka

• Founder: Masataka Taketsuru

• Launched: 1934

• Location: Tokyo, Japan

Nikka Whisky from the Barrel ranks among the most acclaimed. It culls from over 100 different batches of malt and grain whisky, all of which are produced at the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Packed within its full body are notes of sherry, umami, cinnamon, orange zest, and a touch of smoke. Yum.

7. Kirin

• Launched: 1885 (Japan Brewery Company)

Kirin Breweries is one of the largest breweries in Japan. Its roots stretch back to 1869 when a Norwegian-American businessman named William Copeland founded the Spring Valley Brewery in Yokohama. The founders of Kirin took over Copeland’s assets in 1885 and set up their own brewery, which they called Japan Brewery Company. In 1888, the brewery began producing Kirin beer which today, along with Asahi, is Japan’s major beer brand.

The area around Fuji was chosen from a shortlist of about 10 locations because its climate was considered similar to Scotland’s. The city is cooler and less humid than most other areas of Japan, with an average temperature of just 13°C. Mount Fuji is also an excellent source of pure water.

All the Japanese beer lovers out there will recognise the name Kirin, but did you know the huge beverage company also runs a distillery at the southeastern end of Mt. Fuji? It goes by the name of either Kirin Distillery or Fuji Gotemba Distillery (depending on who you ask) and produces small batch blends as well as a 17-year single malt. The brand’s most popular blend, Kirin Fuji Sanroku 50 Proof, was recently discontinued due to the whisky shortage, so get it while you still can.

8. Chichibu

• Founder: Ichiro Akuto

• Launched: 2007

• Location: Saitama Prefecture

Chichibu distillery is small, with only nine full-time employees. It is owned by Venture Whisky which was founded in 2004 in Chichibu, Saitama, just outside of Tokyo, hence its name. The distillery, which specializes in single malt whisky, was the first whisky distillery built in Japan since the 1970s and became operational in 2008. It stands on a small hill in the outskirts of Chichibu, a city of medium size with a population of about 70.000.

To say this whisky brand hit the ground running would be an understatement, especially when it comes to small batch single malts. Among the label’s veritable sippers are acclaimed annual releases such as Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu ‘The Peated’ 2015 Cask Strength and Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu ‘On the Way’ Single Malt.

9. Shinshu

• Founder: Masataka Taketsuru

• Launched: 1985

• Location: Nagano Prefecture

Located 2600 feet above sea level in the Japanese Alps is the country’s highest distillery, also known as Shinshu. Along with the high altitude comes moderate humidity and an ample supply of pristine water, which respectively influence the brand’s single malts and popular blends. For a good sense of what this label can do, order a dram of Iwai Tradition. Comprised of both single malts and single grain whiskies, it delivers notes of brine, almond, peppercorn, malt, and peat smoke.

10. Karuizawa

• Launched: 1955

• Location: Maseguchi 1795-2, Miyota-machi, Kita-Sakugun, Nagano Prefecture

One look at the ornate bottle designs is all it takes to fall in love with Karuizawa Distillery, which launched in 1955 and officially shuttered in 2011. Famed for its intense, sherry cask matured drams, its popularity has been rapidly growing in recent years. With demand skyrocketing and the number of casks available quickly falling prices are rising. When a recent collection of rare bottles fetched record-breaking prices at auction, the elusive brand jumped to the top of numerous bucket lists. Whether or not these rare vintages are worth the high price of admission is something fewer and fewer drinkers will know as the years come to pass.

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