August 6, 2024 Japanese whisky for beginners By Marc Antomattei Whisky makes for an elegant gift to be given anytime, and what better time than now? Although devout collectors, scarcity and high demand have driven prices up and out of reach — 100 million Yen for a bottle of 55-year-old Yamazaki . I’d like to propose a list I curated for the everyday person, with many categories to select from for the best Japanese whiskies. The Hakushu is a whisky that evokes thoughts of nature with its floral, grassy and fruity notes.
Yes, the age statement variants are better, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the no age statement (NAS) version. It’s so much more affordable as a daily drinker and as a gift (and it would still be appreciated to receive). Named after inventor Mr.
Aeneas Coffey, this is a Japanese whisky made chiefly from corn in column “Coffey” stills. Despite the name, there is no actual coffee in this which, surprisingly, fools enthusiasts of the community into thinking there is. It has a grainy aroma with the taste of light fruit.
The appearance of this whisky in the 2003 film Lost in Translation saw actor Bill Murray’s character Bob Harris popularize Japanese whisky in real life from his famous fictional Japanese “Suntory Time” commercial. This is the Hibiki to have, but I’ve included a cheaper version on this list for the budget-conscious. There are essentially only two world whiskies, Suntory’s Ao and Nikka’s Session.
Both are r.