Scotland loses out as Japanese whisky named best in the world

Links234

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11204872/Scotland-loses-out-as-Japanese-whisky-named-best-in-the-world.html

The Scots are famous for their whisky, but will be licking their wounds this week after a Japanese single malt was named the best in the world. Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was given the title by the 2015 World Whisky Bible, which is compiled by whisky expert Jim Murray. He praised the whisky as “near indescribable genius”, with a “nose of exquisite boldness” and a finish of “light, teasing spice”, giving it an impressive 97.5 marks out of 100.

So, for relaxing times...

Not really susprising though, I think Japan has been making some of the best whiskeys ever! Me and a friend drank our local out of the Nikka Coffee Grain whiskey a while back

Bonus, some pics of the distillery via reddit: http://imgur.com/a/Cm27A

osarusan

Taketsuru 17 Years has won the best blend in the world a couple of times in the last 5 or 6 years too I think.

I've a a full bottle on top of my dresser.

Lapin

Scotland can fight over having the best whisky in the world.

Ireland has the best whiskey though. We invented the stuff.

Everything else is just imitation.

Links234

osarusan wrote: »

Taketsuru 17 Years has won the best blend in the world a couple of times in the last 5 or 6 years too I think.

I've a a full bottle on top of my dresser.

Yup! http://www.nikkawhisky.eu/2014/03/taketsuru-17-years-worlds-best-blended-malt/

I've had the 12 year old, Nikka do some amazing stuff

osarusan

Links234 wrote: »

Yup! http://www.nikkawhisky.eu/2014/03/taketsuru-17-years-worlds-best-blended-malt/

I've had the 12 year old, Nikka do some amazing stuff

There's a serial/documentary series on Japanese TV at the the moment about Mrs Taketsuru - Mr Taketsuru went to Scotland to study whisky-making and came back with a Scottish wife, who apparently was a rock on which he was able to build his whisky business.

The Nikka stuff has been flying off the shelves since apparently.*



*But I was drinking it before it was cool.

Tabnabs

osarusan wrote: »

The Nikka stuff has been flying off the shelves since apparently.*



*But I was drinking it before it was cool.

I knew I'd strayed into a hipster thread! :mad:

Uncle Ruckus

Lapin wrote: »

Scotland can fight over having the best whisky in the world.

Ireland has the best whiskey though. We invented the stuff.

Everything else is just imitation.

Surprisingly it was the Babylonians ( present day Iraq) who invented it.

Links234

osarusan wrote: »

There's a serial/documentary series on Japanese TV at the the moment about Mrs Taketsuru - Mr Taketsuru went to Scotland to study whisky-making and came back with a Scottish wife, who apparently was a rock on which he was able to build his whisky business.

The Nikka stuff has been flying off the shelves since apparently.*



*But I was drinking it before it was cool.

That sounds fascinating, I wonder how long it'll be until someone youtubes it

I actually don't think I had any Nikka while I was over there, it wasn't until they started appearing in shops this side of the world, but my favourite has to be this little one!

Lapin

Uncle Ruckus wrote: »

Surprisingly it was the Babylonians ( present day Iraq) who invented it.

Bollox. My great grandfather used to make his own.

Dan_Solo

Hard liquor drinkers appear to have a fantastic long term memory... :-)

tailgunner

Lapin wrote: »

Bollox. My great grandfather used to make his own.

It was actually my old great-grandpappy who invented it, back in 4500 BC or thereabouts. Some time after the dinosaurs and before the water charges anyway.

Karl Stein

Tabnabs wrote: »

I knew I'd strayed into a hipster thread! :mad:

Nothing is safe.

Lapin

tailgunner wrote: »

It was actually my old great-grandpappy who invented it, back in 4500 BC or thereabouts. Some time after the dinosaurs and before the water charges anyway.

Ah, but could you buy his tack in the duty free shop at Baghdad Airport on a trip home from the Hanging Gardens?

anncoates

Links234 wrote: »

He praised the whisky as “near indescribable genius”, with a “nose of exquisite boldness” and a finish of “light, teasing spice”,

Craft beer blurb writers all over the country flee their desks weeping in jealousy.

Hoop66

I've tried a few Japanese malts, and they're very good. I'm a big fan of the very peaty Islay malts and AFAIK they don't really make any like that.

Lagavullin's profits are safe for a year or two yet.

osarusan

Hoop66 wrote: »

I've tried a few Japanese malts, and they're very good. I'm a big fan of the very peaty Islay malts and AFAIK they don't really make any like that.

Suntory's Hakushu might be what you're looking for - it's probably as close as Japanese whisky gets to being really peaty.

whiskeyman

osarusan wrote: »

Mr Taketsuru went to Scotland to study whisky-making and came back with a Scottish wife, who apparently was a rock

Those crazy Japs.

Hoop66

osarusan wrote: »

Suntory's Hakushu might be what you're looking for - it's probably as close as Japanese whisky gets to being really peaty.

I'll give it a go

cletus van damme

i really like whiskey.
It bothers me when people start saying irish, scotch, japanese is better or worse than the other.
It's a matter of personal taste all three have fantastic qualities depending on the occasion and your humour.

catallus

Whisky is the work of Satan.

cletus van damme

catallus wrote: »

Whisky is the work of Satan.

not true , my granny says "whiskey makes you frisky, gin makes you sin"

SeanW

Wonder what Scotty from Star Trek would have to say:

"No way laddie, the best whiskey is not Scotch but from Japan? It can nae be!"

wilhelm roentgen

SeanW wrote: »

Wonder what Scotty from Star Trek would have to say:

"No way laddie, the best whiskey is not Scotch but from Japan? It can nae be!"

Jim (Beam) me up Scotty

Links234

cletus van damme wrote: »

i really like whiskey.
It bothers me when people start saying irish, scotch, japanese is better or worse than the other.
It's a matter of personal taste all three have fantastic qualities depending on the occasion and your humour.

Oh I don't disagree. I mean, I don't like peaty whiskeys, no matter how good they might be the peatiness just ain't to my tastes. But Irish, Scotch, Japanese I'll find plenty that are great.

It's just that, a few years back, people would look at you funny if you mentioned Japanese whiskey, they'd be surprised that Japan even makes whiskey or wouldn't believe you if you said they were good. Now, a lot of decent places will have some decent Japanese stock, a good few bars will have them, and people don't seem to treat them with incredulity as much. So I'm happy out to see Japan get recognition for making some damn good whiskeys.

Links234

wilhelm roentgen wrote: »

Jim (Beam) me up Scotty

Did you sign up just to make that pun!? Because it's glorious!

ColeTrain

None of this fancy stuff, give us a half one and a pint..

Duckworth_Luas

Nothing I like better than some red lemonade mixed into my whiskey or scotch.

AnonoBoy

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Nothing I like better than some red lemonade mixed into my whiskey or scotch.

Don't toy with me Sir. :mad:

razorblunt

Hoop66 wrote: »

I've tried a few Japanese malts, and they're very good. I'm a big fan of the very peaty Islay malts and AFAIK they don't really make any like that.

Lavagullin's profits are safe for a year or two yet.

Lavagullin. Now there's a drink you could set your watch too.

Custardpi

Now that Scotch has slipped down the whisky rankings can we expect to see a drop in the prices of Islay & Speyside malts?

Hoop66

Ha!