Humiliation for Scotland as Japan's whisky is named 'best in world'

UK Daily Mail ^ | November 3, 2014 | Richard Mardsen

[C19fan]

Japan has given the Scotch whisky industry a ‘wake up call’ - after a single malt from the Far East was named the best in the world. Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 has been given the title by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible - which describes the drink as a work of ‘near incredible genius’. For the first time, the 2015 edition of the renowned publication features no Scottish distillery in its top five.

[discostu]

Last I saw they were actually fairly cheap, in $50 range, because nobody expect Japanese scotch to be any good. Now that they’re #1 that’ll probably change.

[Fantasywriter]

I never heard that slogan before. I only know the ‘relaxing times’ slogan as a result of one of the best scenes Bill Murray every filmed.

From Lost in Translation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiQnH450hPM

[null and void]

This is so typically Japanese—to borrow from another culture and then excel.

Yes.

Not merely make a shoddy copy, like the Chinese, but excel in all senses of the word.

[Fantasywriter]

One thing the Japanese didn’t borrow from anybody, but excel at, is koi. Nobody breeds those swimming beauties—living jewels—like the Japanese.

[elcid1970]

It was an Esquire magazine ad from 1969, where I first heard of Suntory. The Suntory drinker is in foreground while in the background he hunts on safari, wrestles alligators, or sings onstage like Tom Jones, with an admiring female always nearby.

;^)

[cpdiii]

Drink Irish Whiskey. You will be pleased.

[sphinx]

Back when I used to drink ... 22 years and counting ... I had made the fairly basic discovery that scotches are amazingly varied. There is no reason to pay a high premium for a prestige label when a little research (well, ok, in my case a LOT of research) will probably turn up a moderately priced brand that suits your palate.

[Fantasywriter]

Found it!

What a GREAT ad! No wonder you remembered it.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=1969%20esquire%20suntory%20ad%20alter%20ego&qs=n&form=QBIRMH&pq=1969%20esquire%20suntory%20ad%20alter%20ego&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=F480C0E36DE1A8CDA69BF46F096FF0B6FA28E709&selectedIndex=0

[Vigilanteman]

Totally agree. You can add cultivated pearls, wood block prints, cutlery and probably a couple dozen of other things to that list as well.

[reed13k]

If your looking for a decent rye try Templeton Rye out of Iowa - based on a prohibition era recipe - very nice.

[edpc]

Tried and liked. Supposedly Capone’s drink of choice.

[elcid1970]

Esquire was the Maxim of its time. Ads were about cars, Rolexes, fancy liquors, travel, & always beautiful chicks nearby. Some things resist change.

When I was deployed, the new month rolled around when somebody in the tent asked, “OK, whose turn is it to buy the Maxim?”

[onedoug]

A cowboy walks into a saloon and says, “Give me a Yamazaki.” Whereupon the whole house proceeds to kick his ass assuming he’s a homosexual.

[Fantasywriter]

‘When I was deployed, the new month rolled around when somebody in the tent asked, “OK, whose turn is it to buy the Maxim?”’

Great story! Also, thanks for mentioning the classic Santory ad. It was priceless, and I’m glad I had the chance to see it.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The Japanese have loved Scotch for a long time."

In John P. Marquand's 1930's Mr. Moto novels, Mr.Moto would often say something like, "It would be very, very nice to sit down with you when all of this is over and have a glass of your fine American whiskey. But right now, there is work to do."

[Steve_Seattle]

"This is so typically Japanese—to borrow from another culture and then excel."

They took Chan (sp?) Buddhism from China and turned it into Zen, with all of its refined - yet minimalist - aesthetics. When I was a kid, "Made in Japan" was a common joke, but while we were laughing, they were getting better, and even surpassing us in some ways.

[Fantasywriter]

‘You can add cultivated pearls, wood block prints, cutlery and probably a couple dozen of other things to that list as well.’

I wasn’t aware the Japanese excel in any of these areas. Thanks for adding to my knowledge.

[RansomOttawa]

Oh, and the Japanese (and American & Canadian) versions of “Whisky” are required by international trademark agreement to be spelled “Whiskey”. Even if the method of distilling and aging (in used American fired oak Bourbon barrels) is the same and they’re informally calling it Scotch.

Only Irish and American products are actually spelled whiskey, and in at least the American case, that's not even universal. Pretty much everywhere else in the world (including Scotland, Canada, and Japan), it's spelled whisky.

[katana]

You may be right, but I was told about the trademark usage of the spelling during a tour of the Glen Livet distillery in Scotland. And I swear it was before we did the tastings.

[Ax]

Most western embassies in Saudi Arabia made an effort to hide their empties. The Japanese embassy in Jeddah 30 years ago merely used to toss their empty Johnny Walker red labels over the embassy wall.

When I was stationed in Japan nearly 50 years go, I didn't drink a whole lot of whisky, but I can remember going into a GI bar and ordering "Oji-san mizu" (Old Grand Dad and water).