There is more to Japanese Whisky than just Nikka and Suntory, such as Hatozaki. Now available in the US is the Hatozaki Omakase Rye Third Edition Mizunara Cask Finish for a suggested retail price of $95 (750ml), the new limited-edition expression showcases the profound aging and finishing techniques of Kimio Yonezawa, 4th generation Master Distiller & Blender. This whisky is an American-inspired rye, not a Japanese malt, crafted in small batches of no more than 10 casks. The blend, consisting of at least 51% rye, is aged in new charred oak and then finished in traditional Mizunara casks. P ..read more

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Nikka’s Yoichi 10 Year Old Single Malt (Credit: Nikka) For the last decade or so, I’ve looked askance at many of my colleagues for beating the yellow journalism drum of “bourbon shortage.” Yes, products made by Buffalo Trace have become unicorns, one by one, but that phenomenon is limited to just them. The moment of inconvenience, not crisis, came and went for everyone else. What made all this bourbon shortage nonsense even more shameless was how there are recent events reminding anyone with a memory just what a whiskey shortage looks like. First was 2011-12 rye ..read more

Japanese whisky company Nikka has brought out a new and final edition in its “Nikka Discovery” series in the U.S.: Nikka The Grain Whisky. This expression is the third and final release in the “Nikka Discovery” series and features a rare blend of grain whiskies from four unique Nikka distilleries; Miyagikyo, Nishinomiya, Moji, and Satsumatsukasa. An inside look at the various experiments made during the whisky-making process at Nikka Whisky, the “Nikka Discovery” series explores every part of its production method and was created in anticipation of Nikka Whisky’s 90th anniversary in 2024. This ..read more

As 2023 marks a momentous year for the House of Suntory, the founding House of Japanese whisky is thrilled to reveal the long-awaited centennial release of Hibiki 21-Year-Old and a limited-edition bottle design of Hibiki Japanese Harmony that honors the four seasons and is a nod to the past, present, and future. The two limited releases mark the latest centennial whisky offerings from the House of Suntory’s anniversary celebration, honoring a century since founder Shinjiro Torii established Japan’s very first malt whisky distillery in 1923. Originally making its debut in 1989, Hibiki is consid ..read more

The House of Suntory is now celebrating its 100th anniversary of whisky innovation: a major milestone not only for Suntory’s history, but for Japanese spirits culture and World Whisky. Suntory is not just a global drinks conglomerate, but also the founding company of the Japanese whisky industry, one of the five major regions of whisky-making around the world. In honor of this centennial, the House has released a Suntory Anniversary Tribute as imagined by Academy Award-winning director Sofia Coppola and starring Keanu Reeves, as well as exclusive 100th anniversary editions of its world-renowne ..read more

Nikka marks the return of traditional age statements to its U.S. portfolio with debut of Yoichi Single Malt 10-Year-Old. To cope with a dramatic rise in demand and depletion of their aged stocks, Nikka eliminated many expressions in 2015, and they were still cutting back on age statement bottlings as recently as 2020. The new Yoichi is first age statement to come from the brand in several years, and commemorates 10 buildings located within the Yoichi Distillery site that received special designation as Japan’s “Important Cultural Properties” in February 2022, a historical nod to Nikka Whisky’s ..read more

The House of Suntory has announced the arrival of its first-ever world blended whisky, Suntory World Whisky ‘Ao’, to the general market. Previously available in Japan and Global Travel Retail only, the whisky arrives this month to Canada, Taiwan, Singapore, and Korea – and will be available in the United States in early 2023. Blended using whisky from Suntory Group’s own distilleries in five of the world’s most renowned whisky-regions: Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Japan and the US, Suntory World Whisky ‘Ao’, meaning blue, is named after the oceans that connect these whiskies of the world togethe ..read more

By Kenrick Thurston-Wilcox Rating: B Fuji Single Grain Whisky (Credit: Fuji Distillery) Situated at the base of Mt. Fuji, 7.5 miles from it’s peak, the Fuji Distillery has been making whisky in the shadow of Japan’s most famous mountain since 1973. Despite that, their first US release came only in 2021. The location was most likely chosen for a few different reasons. The first is the glacial and snowmelt-based groundwater, softening it along its way to the underground springs that the distillery pulls its water from. The second is climate, with average yearly temps siting around 55F, minimal ..read more

Japanese whisky brand Fuji Whisky has announced the U.S. release of its 30-Year-Old Single Grain Whiskey. A rare and precious whiskey, this 30-Year-Old release represents the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship from the Mt. Fuji Distillery, located just 7.5 miles off the base the most iconic landmark in Japan, for which it is named: Mt. Fuji. Only 100 bottles of this elegant whiskey will be available in the U.S in 2022. A blend of multiple maturates of Canadian style grain whiskies, the Fuji 30-Year-Old Single Grain Whiskey includes distillates aged more than 30 years, including some aged up to ..read more

Japan’s Nikka Whisky has shipped the 2022 releases from its “Nikka Discovery” series in the U.S.: Single Malt Yoichi Aromatic Yeast and Single Malt Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast. This duo is the second release to come from the “Nikka Discovery” series, each year highlighting a different component of the whisky-making process that Nikka has practiced since 1934 and offering an inside look at the various experiments within Nikka’s two distilleries in Japan, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. 2023 will reveal the third and final release of “Nikka Discovery” in anticipation of Nikka Whisky’s 90th Anniversary in 202 ..read more