Discovering the Best Japanese Whiskey Brands

Are you looking for something a little different to sip on? And are you a fan of scotch whiskey? If so, you may want to start giving Japanese whiskey a chance. Inspired by scotch, Japanese whiskey is made through a similar process but with a result that’s more fruity, sweet, and even spicy.

That said, every Japanese whiskey is unique, and with many brands to choose from it can be hard to dip your toes into the Japanese whiskey game. The good news is that we have your back. Read on to discover the best Japanese whiskey brands.

What Is Japanese Whiskey?

First and foremost, it’s important to understand what Japanese whiskey is. Created back in the 20th century, Japanese whiskey is inspired by scotch, and you’ll find that many Japanese whiskey makers continue to use Scottish techniques to create this special blend of whiskey. Of course, every brand is different and you’ll find that Japanese whiskey is unique in its own ways.

Typically, Japanese whiskey is made with malted barley, but you’ll find that every brand may use different ingredients. However, if there’s one thing that’s unique about this whiskey it’s the fact that it’s often aged in Japanese Mizunara oak. When it comes to flavor, Japanese whiskey tends to be smooth, sweet, floral, and sometimes a little spicy.

Ultimately, it depends on the brand, which is why we’re covering some of the best below.

The Three Best Japanese Whiskey Brands

If you want to enjoy the best Japanese whiskey, you need to start with the best Japanese whiskey brands. To help you make the right choice, we take you through a handful of our top picks below.

1. The House of Suntory

When it comes to the best Japanese whiskey brands, you can’t go wrong with the House of Suntory. As one of Japan’s largest whiskey makers, this brand is among the top producers of many Japanese whiskey options that come out of the country.

The House of Suntory has also been around for a long time. It was one of the first Japanese whiskey brands around because it was founded in 1899. While the brand was formed at this point, it didn’t start making whiskey until 1923, which was when the Yamazaki distillery was created; the nation’s first malt whiskey distillery.

Today, the brand continues to distill high-quality Japanese whiskey, and they recently released a 100th Anniversary Edition.

2. Nikka Whisky

Another great Japanese whiskey brand is Nikka. In fact, if you love Scotch you’ll love this unique Japanese take on the whisky. This is because this whisky was created by Masataka Taketsuru, who studied the process of scotch whiskey creation during the 20th century in Scotland.

While his family used to focus on sake, he combined his existing distilling skills with what he learned in Scotland to create some of Japan’s finest Japanese whiskey. After returning to Japan, Taketsuru built the Yoichi distillery, which focuses on single malt Japanese whisky.

You can also count on Nikka Whisky’s quality based on its soaring demand. In fact, Miyagikyo distillery had to expand recently to meet growing demand for the brand’s Japanese whiskey in 2021.

3. White Oak Distillery

Last but not least, we have to feature a new player in the Japanese whiskey game. Typically, many distilleries you come across will be owned by The House of Suntory or Nikka Whisky, but White Oak Distillery sells Japanese whiskey under its Akashi label.

While White Oak Distillery might be one of the smaller names in the game, that doesn’t mean their whiskey isn’t worth trying. In fact, Akashi Japanese whiskey is some of the most affordable and smoothest Japanese whiskey on the market.

Overall, this makes it a great place to start for people who are looking to give Japanese whiskey a try.

Experience the Best Japanese Whiskey Brands Today!

We know that we covered three of the best Japanese whiskey brands today, but that doesn’t mean we’ve covered all of them. While these brands are a great place to start, it never hurts to put yourself out there and experience some of the other great Japanese whiskey brands available.

That said, you can always count on online sellers like Flaviar for a massive selection, convenient order options, and exceptional customer service; their guide to the best Japanese whiskey makes it simple to get the perfect bottle.