New rules governing Japanese whisky production âlong overdueâ
11 March 2021 By Lauren Eads
Rules to regulate the production of Japanese whisky come into force on April 1, with producers no longer able to label malts blended with world whiskies as ‘Japanese’ and marking the “dawning of a new era” in the evolution of Japanese whisky.
Ian Chang, vice president Karuizawa Distillers Inc., and master blender and distiller at Komoro Distillery
Last month, as reported by
the drinks business, The Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association issued a new set of labelling guidelines for Japanese whisky âin order to contribute to the appropriate selection of whisky products by consumers in Japan and abroad, and to thereby protect the interests of consumers, ensure fair competition, and improve quality.â
What the new Japanese whisky regulations actually mean for collectors moneyweb.co.za - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from moneyweb.co.za Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Feb 19, 2021
What is Japanese whisky? Despite its meteoric rise on the global connoisseur market, until this week that question was more complicated to answer than you might expect.
Unlike bourbon and Scotch born of the United States and Scotland, respectively the preferred brown spirit of Japan carried no actual denomination of origin. As long as the liquor was bottled within the country, it could be sourced from anywhere on the planet.
“To say that whisky-making regulations in Japan are loose is a major understatement,” Stefan van Eycken, author of “Whisky Rising: The Definitive Guide to the Finest Whiskies and Distillers of Japan,” told Bloomberg in 2019. “If they were any looser, you’d be able to sell tap water as Japanese whisky.”