Businessweek
That Expensive Japanese Whisky May Be Mostly Scotch
What’s behind the rise of the “world blend” whisky trend.
Popular releases from Suntory, including the new Ao—the brand’s first explicitly labeled 'world whisky’, currently available only in Japan and the U.K.
Photographer: Brad Japhe
In less than a decade, Japanese whisky has risen from relative obscurity to the most sought-after liquor on the planet.
Much of that demand has been driven by U.S. and European drinkers who, whether consciously or not, are seduced by the mysticism of Japanese culture and are paying top dollar for the expertise of the country’s famed craftsmen. Last year the U.S. imported more than $40 million of the spirit, according to the Distilled Spirits Council, up from $6 million in 2014.