Is Your Japanese Whisky Really Japanese? You Will Never Have to Guess Now
Did you know that your “Japanese whisky” might not even be made or produced in Japan? Before the latest regulations were announced, there have been no real regulations for whiskys sold in Japan to present any detailed information about their source. As long as the whisky was bottled in Japan, distillers and producers could easily categorise the liquor under Japanese whiskys, which means that you might just have been drinking Scotch whisky that was bottled in Japan.
The good news is that this is all about to change once the new regulations set by the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association (JSLMA) kick in on 1 April 2021.
What Do The New Regulations Entail?
The JSLMA has come up with a series of rules that distillers and producers have to abide by when associating their whiskys with Japan, that will ensure that whiskys labelled “Japanese” will in fact be made in Japan. The new regulations for whiskys labelled “Japanese Whisky” or “Japanese whisky” will take effect in April and they are as follows:
The JSLMA has come up with a series of rules that distillers and producers have to abide by when associating their whiskys with Japan, that will ensure that whiskys labelled “Japanese” will in fact be made in Japan. The new regulations for whiskys labelled “Japanese Whisky” or “Japanese whisky” will take effect in April and they are as follows:
The JSLMA has come up with a series of rules that distillers and producers have to abide by when associating their whiskys with Japan, that will ensure that whiskys labelled “Japanese” will in fact be made in Japan. The new regulations for whiskys labelled “Japanese Whisky” or “Japanese whisky” will take effect in April and they are as follows:
1. Raw ingredients
- Limited to malted grains, other cereal grains and water extracted in Japan
- Malted grains must always be used during production
2. Production method
- Saccharification, fermentation and distillation must be carried out at a distillery in Japan, alcohol content at the time of distillation must be less than 95%
- The distilled product must be poured into wooden casks not exceeding the capacity of 700 litres and matured in Japan for at least three years thereafter during the process of ageing
- Bottling must take place only in Japan with an alcoholic strength of at least 40% as of such time
- Plain caramel colouring is allowed
Other than the abovementioned, bottles will not be allowed to print the word “Japanese” or include any reference to Japan, its culture and language which includes any kanji script or a flag that represents the land of the rising sun.
For whiskys still on the shelf currently or already in production, producers will have until the end of March to comply with the new rules. Once the regulations become whisky production laws in Japan, any import of whiskys into Japan will have to abide by the new law as well.
What Does This Mean for Japanese whisky Lovers?
Instead of feeling like you have been taken for a ride all these years, why not take this as an opportunity to get to know what real Japanese whisky tastes like? Besides, if you are a seasoned whisky drinker, you will be familiar with big Japanese names like Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu which are unaffected by the new rules and are Japanese whiskys through and through, as confirmed by Hideki Kanda, the president of Suntory Spirits. However, you should brace yourself for a price hike if you are a fan of Japanese whiskys since the demand will likely be far higher than the current supply.
Get Your Supply of Japanese whiskys from JARBARLAR
Fortunately for you, JARBARLAR has plenty of Japanese whiskys in stock, and we are ready to take your orders. Simply place your order online on our website, from the comfort of your own home and we will take care of it from there.
Free delivery is available with minimum spending of $50. If you are planning to buy yourself a bottle or two of Suntory Yamazaki whisky or Hibiki whisky, the minimum spending will definitely not be a problem for you.
In a rush to taste real Japanese whisky? Simply opt for express delivery that comes with a small fee of $19.90.