Of course, try these whiskies on their own, too, to truly get familiar with their character. Depending on the bottle, you can also use Japanese whisky in classic whisky cocktails, such as the old-fashioned or Manhattan. In fact, the Japanese highball is a simple drink that is very popular in Japan, a combination of whisky, soda water, and a slice of lemon or citrus peel. You can definitely use Japanese whisky in cocktails. Overall, the style of Japanese whisky runs the gamut, from peated to sherry cask-influenced, to light and floral. As it stands now, some bottles include whisky imported from other countries into the blend, but these are starting to be labeled as world whiskies. Recently, regulations have been put into place which should become law over the next few years to properly define Japanese whisky. How is it different from other types of whisky? Blending is very important in Japanese whisky, as many distilleries make different types of whisky which are married together by the master blender before bottling. Single malts and blends are the main styles made, using pot and column stills and aged in a variety of barrel types, including ex-bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and Japanese mizunara oak. Japanese whisky is most similar to scotch whisky in terms of its production methods. Some Japanese whisky is made from rice or corn sometimes it can be a blend of malted barley, rice, and/or corn, depending on the preference of the distillery. This can lend a smoky taste with a lighter flavor profile. Japanese whisky is made from malted barley, which can be peated, borrowing some techniques used in Scottish whisky. That latter, Mizunara, is native to Japan and, therefore, can contribute to the flavor of Japanese whisky, too. Other times they have been aged in Mizunara oak, which imparts something of a sandalwood flavor. Some of them have had bourbon, or at times, they use sherry casks. Most Japanese whiskies are aged in wood casks. It ranges from a pale gold, almost straw-like color, to a rich amber. Japanese whisky can be lighter in color, typically, than other whiskeys you may have encountered before, such as Scotch whisky. For a good bet under $50, try the Mars Shinshu Iwai Japanese Whisky. If you can snag a bottle, you won’t be disappointed. It’s aged in a combination of cask types, resulting in a fruity, spicy, and oaky single malt whisky that is best sipped on its own.

Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky isn’t exactly a cheap bottle of Japanese whisky, but it’s arguably the best.

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