Whiskey - Japanese single malt whisky
CoreYamazaki (Osaka — Suntory), Hakushu (Yamanashi — Suntory), Yoichi (Hokkaido — Nikka), Miyagikyo (Miyagi — Nikka)
Famous For
ABV43-55%. Standard at 43%, some distillery-only releases at cask strength.
Sub-styles
Tasting Notes
Stone fruit, sandalwood, incense (Mizunara), green tea, citrus, malt, vanilla, subtle smoke, Japanese oak spice, white pepper, plum, cherry blossom. Yamazaki leans fruity-floral with Mizunara incense. Hakushu is herbal-fresh (the forest distillery). Yoichi is peaty-maritime. Miyagikyo is elegant-floral.
Brand Guide
Premium
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt, Hakushu 12 ($60-80)
Top Shelf
Yamazaki 12, Yoichi Single Malt ($80-150). Allocated: Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18, Yoichi 15 ($300-1000+). Japanese single malt has massive demand and limited supply — expect allocations and inflated prices on age-stated expressions
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The Story
Japanese precision applied to single malt. Meticulous, delicate, globally revered.