Japanese whisky, renowned worldwide for its exquisite taste and quality, is set to undergo a transformation starting Monday. The industry is implementing stricter definitions to deter the sale of foreign-made imposters that have been flooding the market.
In recent years, the demand for Japanese whisky has surged, driving prices to unprecedented heights, especially for the more matured and rarer varieties. However, this popularity has also led to confusion and concern among both producers and consumers, as products made outside of Japan, and sometimes not even meeting the criteria for whisky, are being labeled as “Japanese whisky.”
To address this issue, the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association has introduced a new definition for Japanese whisky, which will come into effect on Monday after a three-year grace period. According to the new rules, whisky can only be labeled as Japanese if it is made using water sourced in Japan and aged in Japanese barrels for at least three years, among other criteria.
While there are no sanctions for violators, manufacturers are welcoming the new industry standard as a means to protect the reputation of Japanese whisky worldwide. “We believe this will further improve the reputation of Japanese whisky because it makes it easier for our international customers to distinguish it from other products,” said major producer Suntory.
Japan boasts around 100 distilleries, with its whisky gaining increasing global recognition since the early 2000s. Exports of Japanese whisky were valued at ¥56 billion in 2022, a fourteen-fold increase from a decade earlier. Although this figure slightly decreased to ¥50 billion in 2023, the popularity of brands such as Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi 10 and Yamazaki 12 continues to grow, with these whiskies winning prestigious international awards. Distillers are now planning production decades in advance to meet the growing demand.
(Source: Northwest Signal | Japan Times | Caledonian Record)
