The 5 Best Japanese Whiskies to Try if You’re New to the Category

Few whisky regions have had a meteoric rise like Japanese whisky.

Brands like Yamazaki have achieved an almost designer status, with shoutouts from musicians like Beyonce and The Weeknd in their music. Some of these whiskies have achieved cult-level, unicorn status, and Vinovest cited a 55-year-old Yamazaki fetching an eye-watering price tag of $934,196. If you haven’t tried whisky from Japan, you may be wondering what the hype is about.

Japanese whiskies are known for their distinctively lighter, floral-leaning styles, and if you’re a fan of scotch you’ll probably find yourself falling hard for whiskies from this region.

It’s clear Japanese whisky is more than just a trend, and this country is cementing its reputation as a powerhouse for whisky production. In April , Japan passed a new set of labeling standards to enforce transparency and hold the category to a high standard.

Without any further ado, we’re going to share the five best Japanese whiskies we’ve encountered on our travels thus far. If you’re new to Japanese whisky, we recommend checking out these five bottles at varying prices.

5 Best Japanese Whiskies

Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey

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Fuji Whisky celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2023 , and this Japanese whisky brand is a liquid homage to one of the country’s natural wonders: Mt. Fuji.

Fuji-Gotemba Distillery sits at the base of this incredible landmark, and the purpose of this whisky brand is to celebrate Mt. Fuji’s beauty while honoring the tradition of Japanese whisky craftsmanship.

This single-grain expression clocks in at a modest 92 proof, and can be purchased for anywhere within the $60 to $100 range. It uses the alternative spelling of “whiskey” in its name due to the fact that the brand implements international production techniques from America, Scotland and Canada during the distillation process.

Apples, honey and buttercream aromas offer plenty of sweetness at first whiff. This whisky carries that apple throughline all the way to the finish. The mid-palate hosts plenty of buttercream sweetness and heather that scotch fans will find appealing. Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey finishes beautifully with pastry, cinnamon and pear.

If you’re looking for an approachable introduction to Japanese whiskies: look no further than Fuji Single Grain Japanese Whiskey.

Nikka Whisky Yoichi Single Malt

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Yoichi is a Japanese single malt that is made at Nikka Distillery, another big name in Japanese whisky.

Fans of maritime scotches with their brine and salinity will really like this offering from the Nikka brand, and it has a pleasant smoky quality to it. Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Single Malt has an ABV of 45% and no age statement.

The nose of this whisky hosts a slight smokiness, with stone fruit and cream. There’s an additional wisp of freshly cracked pepper. The palate is full of caramel, honey and vanilla bean with that smoky throughline. Nikka’s Yoichi Single Malt’s finish is where the whisky shines. With just the right amount of heat, clover honey and fresh bread, it leaves a lingering impression.

Nikka Coffey Malt

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We’ve gone ahead and included another offering from Nikka, and this whisky has plenty of historical significance. Aeneas Coffey patented the first continuous still — the Coffey still — in 1830, and this whisky was named after him. The founder of Nikka Whisky, Masataka Taketsuru, became partial to this still after studying in Scotland, and he imported a Coffey still from Scotland to use it for Nikka’s whiskies.

Nikka Coffey Malt is a sister whisky to Nikka’s Coffey Grain whisky, and the distillate is from malted barley. Nikka Coffey Malt hosts an ABV of 45% and you can typically find it priced anywhere from $60 to $99.

The brand claims Coffey stills yield whiskies with a creaminess, and we’ve picked up on quite a bit of vanilla notes on the pour of this whisky. The nose is a perfumy, floral butterscotch bomb with vanilla. The palate has a nice heat to it, and there are flavors of bread on the pour as well. Nikka Coffey Malt finishes with more pears and butterscotch, leaving a light and elegant whisky.

Hakushu 18 Year Peated Malt 100th Anniversary Release

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In 2023, the House of Suntory celebrated its centennial , and the yearlong extravaganza included releases of some truly legendary whiskies. Hakushu is the sister distillery to Yamazaki, and the brand’s 18-year-old peated malt expression honored 100 years of whisky production from Suntory.

This release was priced at a hefty $1,200 per bottle, though it’s highly likely the price has shot up since then. Hakushu 18 Year Peated Malt hosts a modest proof of 86.

There’s a story behind Hakushu’s peated release, as Japanese whisky drinkers initially were not fans of peat. In 1973, Master Blender Keizo Saji opened Hakushu and found a way to make whiskies with peat that were appealing to drinkers within the country.

With a sweet and creamy nose that has a touch of minerality, Hakushu’s peated malt is beautifully approachable. The palate is nuanced and delicate, with almonds, honeydew and spiced peaches. This whisky finishes in a complex way, and the peat is the most potent here but it’s not punishing at all.

If you’re looking for a luxurious whisky and aren’t a huge fan of peat, maybe you should consider giving this approachable offering from Hakushu a shot.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara 100th Anniversary Suntory Whisky

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Yamazaki released this legendary 18-year-old whisky aged solely in Mizunara casks. Mizunara is a type of Japanese oak that is notoriously difficult to work with, and whiskies aged in it often fetch high prices for this reason.

This 18 year old whisky was bottled at 96 proof and hosted a $1,500 suggested retail price, though we’re seeing it retail for significantly higher on the secondary market, with prices that range up to $3,000 .

With a stunning nose that has layered aromas of molasses, honey, baking spice and black tea kissed with sandalwood, this whisky is nothing short of captivating. The palate is beautifully balanced – not overly viscous, and not too thin. Flavors of root beer, cola, sandalwood and anise shine through here, making it a wonderfully weird and wacky combination, but we’re here for it. Yamazaki’s 18 Year Old Mizunara 100th Anniversary Whisky finishes beautifully with plenty of length and power.

A truly monumental Japanese whisky that is definitely worth it if you have the privilege of getting your hands on a bottle.

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