Cocktails with Japanese Whisky
Whisky made in Japan, usually in a delicate, balanced style close to Scotch. Blends like Suntory Toki are made for the highball.
No Japanese Whisky? What to use instead
- Type
- Spirit
- Strength
- 40–48% ABV
- Aroma
- Honey, Green apple, Light oak
- Taste
- Malt, Vanilla, Citrus, Soft spice
- Finish
- Clean, Gentle oak, Light sweetness
2 drinks with Japanese Whisky
History
Masataka Taketsuru studied distilling in Scotland and helped Shinjiro Torii open Yamazaki, Japan's first commercial malt distillery, in 1923. Taketsuru later founded Nikka. Japanese whisky became hugely popular abroad in the 2010s, and voluntary industry standards, fully in force since 2024, reserve the label for whisky distilled, aged and bottled in Japan.
How it’s made
Mostly made like Scotch: malted barley is fermented and distilled in pot stills, while grain whisky comes from column stills. Distillers often age in a mix of casks, including Japanese mizunara oak, and blend malt and grain whiskies from their own distilleries.
Bottles to try
Suntory TokiBudget
Light, bright blend made for highballs.
Nikka DaysBudget
Soft, fruity blend from Nikka for everyday mixing.
Nikka From the BarrelMid-range
Rich, high-strength blend; a bar favourite.
Hibiki Japanese HarmonyPremium
Suntory's elegant flagship blend.
Suntory TokiBudget
The go-to highball whisky in American bars.
Nikka Coffey GrainMid-range
Sweet, vanilla-rich grain whisky from Coffey stills.
Mars Iwai 45Budget
Fruity, affordable blend from Mars Shinshu.
Hibiki Japanese HarmonyPremium
Suntory's elegant flagship blend.
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