A lesser-known whisky outside the local Japanese market, this version of Akashi is specially produced for the European market using a mixture of Japanese and foreign-made malt and grain whisky to produce a reasonably priced everyday blend.

Akashi White Oak is a blended whisky made at the White Oak (aka Eigashima) distillery. A light and fruity spirit that makes a great introduction to Japanese whisky.

Akashi Red is made at the Eigashima (aka White Oak) distillery, which was founded in 1888. Produced by Akashi, this is a light and fruity whisky with notes of peach, almond and grape.

From the Hakushu distillery in the foothills of Mount Kaikomagatake comes their Distiller’s Reserve single malt whisky, a no-age-statement expression, that captures the smoky, herbaceous characteristics of their whiskies. Both lightly-peated and heavily-peated malts were used for this complex and deeply enjoyable whisky. One of two Spring 2014 release from ...

A blended Japanese whisky from Nikka made with malt from Yoichi and a combination of malt and Coffey Still whisky from Miyagikyou

From the Japanese distillers Nikka comes their blended whisky, the Nikka Blended Whisky. Yep, that’s it. A simple name, a minimalist bottle, a refined label – the focus here is on the expertly-made blend, brimming with intense fruit and vanilla notes, all very well balanced. Excellent stuff.

A release of grain whisky from Japan’s Nikka, produced mainly from corn using one of their continuous Coffey stills. Rather than the rare and limited releases they have done before, this is a larger release to further show off this key component in the Nikka family of whiskies.

Jim Murray scored different batches of Pure Malt Black with 92 and 95 points respectively. This is a great dram, a blended malt made up of whisky from Nikka’s Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. Full of fruit, balanced oak, peat and toffee.

This famous Japanese blended whisky has been reinvented with this superb limited series. Notes of spices and aromatic plants are increasingly present on the bouquet.

Chita is Suntory’s grain distillery. The flagship release is aged in a combination of wine, sherry and bourbon casks. This is a light whisky with subtle notes of mint, honey and wood spice.

Togouchi’s ageing warehouse must be one of the world’s most unusual – it is an old railway tunnel in the eponymous town that was never used. This is the 12 year old, a blend of Scottish malt and Canadian grain that’s fruity and citrus-rich.

Kiwami (meaning ‘supreme’) is a blended Japanese whisky from Chugoku Jozo who mature their whiskies in a 361 metre long tunnel rather than a warehouse, which is fun.

Tasting note : Chestnut and cracked black pepper with grassy, honeyed depth.

The White Oak distillery, located in the city of Akashi (Hyogo Prefecture), was the first to obtain a license for distilling whisky in 1919. Built in 1888 for the production of sake and shochu, at the beginning the distillery produced only blend whisky in a traditional way and especially reserved for ...

A fresh and fruity blended whisky from Japan, this is Yamazakura’s no-age-statement release. This has notes of orchard fruit, salted caramel and vanilla.