On February 1, 2024, the results of the 2024 national qualifying rounds of the “World Whiskies Awards“, a whisky competition that selects the best in each category from among whiskies entered from around the world, were announced.
In Japanese whisky, 14 brands were awarded category winners and will advance to the world round later this year.
In this article, we will introduce the whiskies from Japanese manufacturers that were entered in this year’s competition, organized by category, limited to those in the category [Japan], which are whiskies that are 100% made in Japan.
*”New Make & Young Spirit” will be omitted this time.
*Only the product name will be introduced for the award-winning title “Bronze”.
- 1. What is the World Whisky Awards?
- 2. Gudging process
- 3. Results of Round 1 in Japan
- 3-1. Blended
- 3-2. Blended Limited Release
- 3-3. Blended Malt
- 3-4. Single Cask Single Malt – No Age Statement
- 3-5. Single Cask Single Malt – 12 Years &Under
- 3-6. SingleMalt – No Age Statement
- [Category Winner] Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023
- [Silver] Single Malt Tsunuki 2024 Edition
- [Silver] Single Malt Yoichi Grande
- [Silver] YUZA Single Malt 2023
- [Bronze] Single Malt Eigashima QUARTET
- [Bronze] Single Malt Kanosuke
- [Bronze] Single Malt Kanosuke 2023 Edition
- [Bronze] Akkeshi Single Malt Keichitsu
- [Bronze] Single Malt Yoichi
- [Bronze] YUZA Third Edition 2023
- 3-7. Single Malt – 12 Years & Under
- 3-8. Small Batch Single Malt –No Age Statement
- 3-9.Small Batch Single Malt 12 Years & Under
- 3-10. Grain
- 3-10. Pot Still
- 4. Consideration
1. What is the World Whisky Awards?
The World Whisky Awards is a global award that recognizes the best of all internationally recognized whisky styles. Hosted by TheDrinksReport.com, the world’s #1 online resource for liquor professionals, the World Whisky Awards selects, recognizes and promotes the world’s best whiskies to consumers and industry professionals worldwide.
[Image source: World Whiskies Awards 2024 Category Winners and Icons of Whisky Rest of WorldWinners Announced!]
2. Gudging process
The judging process is divided into two categories, Taste and Design.
2-1. Round 1
Each whisky is tasted in its own style to identify and select a style winner. The judging panel for the World Whisky Awards includes international journalists, liquor retailers, and industry experts. The first round of judging appears to be conducted in each of the exhibiting countries.
2-2. Second Round
Whiskies that have won style awards will be tasted against each other to determine the “best” whisky in each category.
2-3. Round 3
The “best” whisky in each category will be tasted one last time to determine the “World’s Best” whisky. The judges at this stage include the judges from Rounds 1 and 2, as well as leading distillery managers and whisky industry experts.
3. Results of Round 1 in Japan
We will now look at the results of the first round of whiskies exhibited from Japan, category by category. The original information for this list is here.
Due to the volume, only the product names of the Blonze award-winning whiskies will be introduced.
3-1. Blended
Blended whisky is a whisky produced by vatting at least one single malt whiskey and one single grain whisky. If the blended malt has a geographical indication (e.g., Irish blended malt), the blend must have been vatted and bottled in the country indicated on the label. In addition, the majority (more than 50%) of the component whisky must be distilled and aged in the country indicated on the label to qualify for entry.
[Category Winner] Single Blended Japanese Whisky Fuji
[Silver] Hinomaru Whisky KOME
[Image source: Hinomaru Whisky KOME]
3-2. Blended Limited Release
Blended limited release of whisky with a limited production of less than 3,600 bottles.
[Category Winner]Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Limited Edition 2024
The photo shows the 2023 version, so it is believed that the award-winning product will be released this year (2024).
[Silver] Hinomaru Whisky The 1st Barrels
[Image source: Hinomaru Whiskey The 1st Barrels ]
3-3. Blended Malt
Blended malt whisky is produced by combining single malt whiskies distilled at different distilleries and is sometimes labeled “vatted malt” or “pure malt” on the package. If the blended malt has a geographical indication (e.g., Irish blended malt), the blend must have been vatted and bottled in the country indicated on the label. In addition, the majority (more than 50%) of the component whisky must be distilled and aged in the country indicated on the label to qualify for entry.
[Category Winner] Mars The Y.A. #02
[Silver] Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
[Bronze] Ichiro’s Malt Double Distilleries
3-4. Single Cask Single Malt – No Age Statement
Single cask refers to wooden casks with a capacity of 750 liters or less. Single cask single malt whisky must be disgorged and bottled without the addition of any substances other than water (for dilution) and/or spirit caramel. No vatting of more than one cask is allowed in the single cask single malt production process.
[Category Winner] YUZA Medium Peated 2023 Spring
A single cask from the Yusa distillery released exclusively at Isetan Mitsukoshi.
[Silver]Single Malt Kanosuke Distillery Limited #008
[Image source: Single Malt Kanosuke Distillery Limited Edition Bottle]
3-5. Single CaskSingle Malt–12 Years &Under
[Category Winner] Single Cask Tsunuki AGED 6 YEARS Cask No.T121
Won the category winner in the style of “12 Years & Under”.
At this time, we are unable to confirm product information on the manufacturer’s website, etc., and suspect that it will be released in the future.
[Silver] Saburomaru I THE MAGICIAN For Sip Barrel Owner 2018
Whisky bottled for barrel owners who applied to be a sip barrel owner at the Saburomaru Distillery in 2018.
At this time, no product details have been released on the manufacturer’s website or elsewhere.
[Bronze] Single Malt Saburomaru II 70th Anniversary Spanish Oak
[Bronze] Single Malt Saburomaru 2019 3 Years T&T TOYAMA COLLECTION
3-6. SingleMalt – NoAge Statement
Single malt whisky must be 100% malted and distilled at least twice using copper pot stills. Multiple casks may be used, but a single distillery product must be at least 40% alcohol by volume and aged for a minimum of two years in wooden casks. If the single malt whiskey has a geographical indication (e.g. Irish single malt whisky), it must have been distilled and aged in the country indicated on the label.
[Category Winner] Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu Red Wine Cask 2023
[Silver] Single Malt Tsunuki 2024 Edition
[Silver] Single Malt Yoichi Grande
[Silver] YUZA Single Malt 2023
[Bronze] Single Malt Eigashima QUARTET
[Bronze] Single Malt Kanosuke
[Bronze] Single Malt Kanosuke 2023 Edition
[Bronze] Akkeshi Single Malt Keichitsu
[Bronze] Single Malt Yoichi
[Bronze] YUZA Third Edition 2023
3-7. SingleMalt – 12 Years & Under
[Category Winner] Single Malt Yoichi 10years old
[Silver] Single Malt Akashi PX Sherry Cask 5years Heavily Peated
[Image source: Single Malt Akashi PX Sherry Cask 5 years old HEAVILY PEATED | Eigashima Brewery Online Shop]
[Bronze] Hinomaru Whisky Sherry Cask
3-8. SmallBatch Single Malt –NoAge Statement
Small batch single malt whisky is defined as single malt whisky produced using 100 or fewer casks.
[Category Winner] Single Malt Shizuoka Pot Still W Pure Japanese Barley First Edition
[Silver]Single Malt Tsunuki 7th Anniversary Local Barley
[Bronze] Single Malt Togouchi Misty Stillman’s Selection
[Bronze] YUZA Oloroso Sherry Cask 2023
3-9.SmallBatch Single Malt12 Years & Under
[Category Winner] Single Malt Komagatake AGED 9 YEARS Small Batch
[Silver]Single Malt Nagahama THE SECOND BATCH
[Bronze] Single Malt Nagahama THE THIRD BATCH
[Bronze] Single Malt Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS
[Bronze] Single Malt Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS Cask Strength
3-10. Grain
Grain whisky is distilled from mash consisting of one or more grains, including but not limited to wheat, corn, barley, millet, spelt, rice, oats, and rye.
[Category Winner] Nikka The Grain
[Silver] Nikka Cafe Grain
[Bronze] Single Grain Japanese Whisky Fuji
3-10. PotStill
Pot still whisky must be produced in a mash bill containing both malted and unmalted barley and distilled at least twice in a copper pot still. To be classified in this category, pot still whisky must be bottled at 40% alcohol by volume or higher and aged in barrels for at least two years.
[Category Winner] Kanosuke HIOKI POT STILL
4. Consideration
It is still fresh in our minds that Suntory won the title of “World’s Most Admired Whisky” by Drinks International last fall, but it seems that no Suntory products were entered in the World Whisky Awards However, it seems that no Suntory products were exhibited at the “World Whisky Awards 2024”.
As for the major manufacturers, Nikka and Kirin, in turn, won “Category Winner” in their respective categories.
Chichibu Distillery and Mars Whisky (Hombo Brewery), both veterans of craft distilleries, received “Category Winner” awards in multiple categories, demonstrating their high level of competence.
Shizuoka Distillery, Kanosuke Distillery, and Yusa Distillery also won “Category Winner” and advanced to the world round.
Although no distilleries won the “Category Winner” award, the strong performance of the other craft distilleries is a result of the steadily increasing quality of Japanese whisky.
Also, although not mentioned in this article, 19 brands won titles in the “New Make & Young Spirit” category. Niigata Kameda Distillery, Shindo Distillery, Igawa Distillery, Yamaga Distillery, Kusumi Distillery, Hida Takayama Distillery, and Tamba Distillery, all of which are regular distilleries at whisky festivals in Japan, have recently been producing solid results.
Recently, it is often said that “Japanese whisky has entered a period of elimination. It is expected that the distilleries will be further polarized into two groups: those that will be eliminated and disappear, and those that will grow and develop their skills.
The popularity of high-end whisky is increasing worldwide, and this is likely to further spur the “desire for authenticity” that is behind the continued rise in value.
We will continue to watch the development of Japanese whisky.
