The 12 Best Japanese Whisky Brands Of 2023

Yamazaki 12 Year Old Whisky comes highly recommended. No less than four chefs and beverage directors raved about it when we asked for their faves. "It has been my go-to whisky recommendation for anyone new to the Japanese category for many years," said James Shearer, Global Beverage Director at Zuma, a Japanese restaurant in New York City.

"It has an aroma of cinnamon and blossom that gives off a refreshing scent," said Mike Alaridi, chef de cuisine at FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar in Chicago. "It's smooth with just enough sweetness to highlight the fruits—grape and pineapple. You can also taste clove spice, and that it was smoked from the barrel."

Nikka From The Barrel comes in second. It's just as highly regarded, and has a "full flavor and richness of coffee, old oak, and tobacco [that] blends well with the hints of pepper and allspice," said Eva Kovacikova, regional bar manager at Zuma.

"The slight salinity at the end balances all the flavors and pairs well with globally-inspired Mediterranean dishes," said Allen Dabagh, chef at Middle-Eastern and American restaurant Boutros in New York City.

When it comes to choosing a whisky that will play well with cocktails, Bella Marriot, general manager of Bar Beau in New York City, loves Suntory Toki. "While there isn't a ton of depth to it, the flavor profile comes out strongly in cocktails and highballs, and its price point makes it possible to use it as such."

She loves it in their Paisley Island cocktail made with amaro, cucumber, coconut, egg white, and sesame.

If you're looking for a Japanese whisky at a decent price point, go for Hibiki Harmony. It works well on the rocks, sipped neat, and in cocktails. Mayumi Kobayashi, general manager of Japanese restaurant MIFUNE and omakase restaurant Sushi AMANE in New York City, likes to mix this with equal parts plum sake.

"Nothing beats watching space western anime with a glass of amazing Japanese whisky at the end of a busy New York City day," she said.

Kurayoshi 18 Year Malt Whisky is distilled using volcanic-rock-filtered water. "It's a bit more on the sweet side with some waxy honey notes on the finish," said Simon Sebbah, beverage director at the restaurant American Bar in New York City. "It's very light, high toned, and perfect to drink on the rocks."

While it may not be traditional, Mars Iwai Tradition Fall Wine Cask Japanese Whisky's wine-cask finish imparts a wonderful flavor on this Iwai Tradition whisky. "It's very sweet and smooth with some vanilla and apricot finish," Sebbah said. "This is a great whisky for after-dinner sipping."

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky comes from the same distillery as our top pick, but it's aged for six additional years. "The heaviness and delicacy of the whisky creates an exquisite harmony of flavors," said Masaya Shirai, executive chef at modern Japanese restaurant Towa. The whisky is partially aged in old sherry barrels to give it a full body and complex flavor.

What makes Hakushu 12 Year Single Malt Whisky a little different from the rest is the water. Master blender Keizo Saji uses high-quality water that's been filtered through ancient granite rocks found deep in untouched forests.

"The flavor profile is smoky and peaty, with notes of citrus, honey, vanilla, and a slight spice note at the end," said Bobby Leonardo, head bartender at Thai restaurant Wayla in New York City.

When you're sipping something neat, you want it to be expressive and complex, so it takes you on a journey. Komagatake Limited Edition Single Malt 2020 does just that, according to Jorge Centeno, head bartender at the hotel and restaurant Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois .

"It guarantees an incredible array of flavors, including cherry, vanilla, a hint of orange and chocolate, spring honey, coconut, and candied ginger, while being balanced and light on the palate with little heat," he said.

Aged in former bourbon barrels, Kurayoshi 8 Year Whisky is an artisanal, small-batch whisky. It's often tricky to find, but worth the search. Allegra Angelo, sommelier and co-founder of Miami-based wine retailer Vinya, is a fan. "On the nose, candied citrus, roasted nuts, and exotic spice unfold into an exceptionally long palate," she said. "A must for any whisky lover."

This limited release was made to celebrate the career of Chizuru Fukano, the former managing director of Fukano Distillery. "Aged in a combination of used sherry and red wine casks, the profile is delicate and fruity, versus bold and smoky," Angelo said. The fantastic flavor and really beautiful packaging make it an ideal gift for whisky lovers.

Ichiro Akuto, a Japanese whisky-industry rockstar, has a cult-like following among connoisseurs. "This whisky was made by his grandfather, Isouji Akuto, at their family’s legendary Hanyu distillery before it closed in 2000," said Lee Watson, beverage director and partner at the Filipino-Japanese restaurant Gugu Room in New York City.

On the nose, Ichiro's Malt Hanyu 15 Year Final Vintage starts mossy, but then transitions to sweet and oaky. The flavor is dark chocolate, blackberries, apples, nectarines, and blood oranges. It's extremely rare and costs $3,000.