Scottish whisky was touched into the long grass after a Japanese single malt was declared the best in the world.
Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was given the title by the 2015 World Whisky Bible, which is compiled by whisky expert Jim Murray.
Yamazaki is Japan’s oldest whisky distillery, founded in 1923, which produced but 16,000 bottles of the winning whisky. The ageing process took around 12 to 15 years in Oloroso sherry butts.
The award started in 2002 but it is the first time a Japanese whisky has been named number one and also the first time that the shortlist of five did not include a Scottish one.
Mr Murray said the whisky had “near indescribable genius” with a finish of “light, teasing spice”. He was backed up by whisky expert Sam Simmons who said the Japanese whisky was a "stunning" drink and a worthy winner.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society noted that Japanese whiskies have gone from strength to strength in recent years, so award success was "inevitable and perhaps overdue".
Second place was awarded to the bourbon William Larue Weller and third to Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old.
Comments
It all comes from the Americans, bless their souls, determining the meaning of English words. For all their size and economic and military power, they are not always right.
The makers of Scotch are adamant that the water used in making the stuff is of cardinal importance. I wonder where the Japanese get their water from for their Yamazaki Single Malt.
American and Irish liquor producers (and copy editors) tend to favor the spelling WHISKEY, while Canadian, Scottish, and Japanese producers (and copy editors) tend to favor (or should I say, favour) WHISKY. Up until quite recently, The New York Times tackled the problem by spelling everything the American way (with an E), regardless of the spirit’s country of origin. From Kentucky bourbon to Islay malts, everything was “whiskey” to The NYTimes. But then, last February, the venerable newspaper made a decisive change.
After receiving a raft of complaints from some serious Scotch whisky drinkers, the paper re-tooled its approach to follow that of many specialized spirits publications, spelling each type of spirit according to the way favored by its country of origin. So, while American-produced varieties such as bourbon, rye, and Tennessee - as well as the Irish stuff - kept their previous NYTimes-styled "whiskey” spelling, the stuff from Scotland, Canada, and Japan now would be referred to as “whisky.” Makes a lot of sense, I think.