Browsing Posts in: Japanese Whisky

In the first part of our exclusive interview, Jim Murray tells Stuart how Lord Lucan helped him get into whisky, how he helped create the rye boom, and why sulphur is the enemy of a…

When it comes to drinking whisky, one of the greatest pleasures is sharing a dram. While there is joy in solitary sipping, teasing apart the flavours in a glass with others adds another level to…

This year’s showpiece Whisky Show masterclass featured three contrasting figures. The first: an avuncular figure who has held every job possible in a whisky distillery. The second: an innovator, famed for his experiments with casks….

We’re busy at Whisky Exchange HQ. Not only are we getting ready for a busy final three months of the year, but tomorrow marks our annual Whisky Show – two days with some of the best…

George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Mila Kunis and even Danny DeVito. Are stars attracted to spirit brands because they believe in the product, or just the money? Early in the film Lost in Translation, Bill Murray’s character,…

Our capital is filled with bars all jostling to claim ownership of the largest collection of Scotch, bourbon and Irish whiskies. But, as is the case with wine lists, a carefully curated selection in a…

It’s just a couple of weeks until 4 July – Independence Day – and to celebrate, we’ve selected some of our favourite whiskies, all ideal if you’re planning a party, whether you’re in the US…

When Jim Murray named Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 his 2015 World Whisky of the Year, no-one could have foreseen the unprecedented demand Japanese whisky would experience over the following years. It’s been almost a year since Nikka’s announcement…

Colin Dunn has done more than most to get people switched on to whisky. After a spell with Suntory, he moved to Diageo in 2008, educating drinkers about the delights of the company’s numerous single…

Excitement builds every year about the big winners in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. Last year, Jim chose Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 as his 2015 World Whisky of the Year, which had an astonishing effect on demand for…

It was billed as the most expensive whisky tasting ever staged, and there was an appropriately reverent, almost nervous air as people took their seats for this one-off tasting of five extremely rare Karuizawa whiskies…

Hot on the heels of The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show comes London Cocktail Week (LCW), a celebration of London’s best mixology and cool cocktails. LCW is run by our sister company, DrinkUp.London, who also organise…

Japanese whisky has seen a huge growth in recognition over the past year, partly due to Yamazaki Sherry Cask being named as 2015 World Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. It has…

The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show is less than eight weeks away, which means that from here on the announcements will be coming thick and fast – there’s lots going on this year. For those of…

Japanese whisky is enjoying its moment in the sun, but its new-found popularity is putting a strain on stock levels, and as such, non-age-statement whiskies are the inevitable consequence. Hibiki’s answer is Harmony, a blend…

In my previous post, we looked at the history of Japanese Nikka whisky, the realisation of Masataka Taketsuru’s dream. In all, Nikka makes nearly 30 different whiskies from its two distilleries. Having tasted the entire range with brand…

Ever wondered why distillers can’t agree on one basic thing: how to spell the liquid they make? Take a look at your drinks cupboard now, and it’s likely there’ll be at least one bottle with…

Japanese whisky has never been more popular, winning awards left, right and centre as well as offering Scotch drinkers an alternative – but not radical departure – in flavour. Recently I met Nikka’s Didier Ghorbanzadeh…