The Rise of Japanese Whisky: What to drink and the best 3 bars to drink it at in Singapore

PUBLISHED April 24th, 2014 12:41 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:31 pm

There’s no doubt about it….Japanese whisky is coming up in the world. Every year they become more popular, better, and more diverse – from Islay smokey types to more sherried Speyside styles. It’s probably unsurprising to learn that Japan is now the second largest producer of single malt whisky in the world after Scotland.

So why drink it now?

It’s sometimes said that Scotch is a whisky of love, whereas Japanese is more a whisky of design. Think of it perhaps as similar comparison to old French vineyards vs many new world producers. The process is pretty much the same, but rather than trying to engineer the best whisky possible, it seems that distillers in Scotland just have an innate knowledge and skill to produce world-class whiskies, without all the measuring and new science.

Japanese whiskies on the other hand are, for the most part, engineered to be enjoyed by the majority. Therefore, whilst I sincerely believe that the best Scotch will always (for now) be better than the best Japanese whisky, the average Japanese whisky is likely to be better than the average Scotch. That being said, I have tasted some pretty outstanding and unique Japanese whiskies over the past couple of years.

Where to drink Japanese Whisky in Singapore?

Right now there are, in my opinion, three locations which rise above the rest in terms of price, variety and atmosphere when in comes to enjoying Japanese Whisky:

1) The Auld Alliance

Did you know that The Auld Alliance is the bar with the third largest selection of Japanese whiskies in the world? And let me tell you, the visual spectacle on seeing their beautifully lined up bottles is mind-blowing, as they’ve got not just the current production, but bottles going back decades from distilleries that have long since closed. If you’re feeling a little intimidated, ask the staff (particularly Emmanuel, the GM) who will be able to take good care of you.

The Auld Alliance is located at 9 Bras Basah Road, RendezVous Hotel, Gallery #02-02A, Singapore 189559

2) La Maison du Whisky

Being a regular at La Maison, I’ve had the pleasure of trying many, many of their whiskies. As for the Japanese, expect a complete range of current production bottles from the big two, Suntory and Nikka, as well as a grand selection from Karuizawa and the Chichibu distilleries. Bottles are reasonable affordably as well and you can keep them behind the bar for up to a year.

During the day, La Maison du Whisky is also a retail outlet which without a doubt is the best place to buy Japanese whiskies by the bottle to take home in Singapore.

La Maison du Whisky is located at Robertson Walk, 80 Mohammed Sultan Road, Singapore 239013

3) Bincho @ Hua bee

Tucked away behind the Mee Pok stall at Hua Bee is the ever-so cool Bincho. Located on the first floor of a shophouse, the small dining area offers a cool omakase meal of yakitori and other tasty treats. But it’s the bar behind that stocks the really good stuff! In a setting that looks like a stylish nuclear bunker, the have a very, very impressive array of Japanese whiskies to choose from. Everything from the standard Nikka and Suntory, to the Ichiro’s card sets and even a few from Mars Distillary. Just superb.

Bincho @ Hua Bee is located at 78 Moh Guan Terrace, Singapore 162078.

If you’ve been to these three, the following also have a healthy selection of Japanese whiskies if you happen to be stopping by….

• Mariko’s – located at 4 Jiak Chuan Street, Singapore 089261

Whilst I’ve not been overly impressed with the food offering at Mariko’s, it has to be said that the bar is worthy of mention. Aside from the cool DJ nights, I was surprised to discover that they actually have an excellent selection of Japanese whiskies across the board. So next time you are in the area or popping over with a few friends, order a bottle or two and give their whiskies a try.

• Coffee Bar K – located at 207 River Valley Rd, Singapore 238275 (Opposite Robertson Walk)

A Japanese-run bar at UE Square that is very, very Japanese. Expect Japanese patrons, Japanese staff and Japanese service. Very cool interior, though honestly I find the bar a little unfriendly to ‘gaijin’.

• The Horse’s Mouth – 583 Orchard Road, The Forum Shopping Centre (Enter via Uma Uma Ramen)

A very cool new Japanese restaurant and bar that just launched. Innovative and unique cocktails are the main draw here. However, no Japanese bar would be complete without a healthy selection of whiskies to go with it. Sou desu ka?

• Orihara Shoten – located at #01-02, Robertson Walk, 11 Unity Street

I somehow seem to end up here on random drunken nights out, ordering copious amounts of Sake… but it’s not just Sake on the menu here. While the Japanese whisky selection is limited, the quality makes up for it, as does the atmosphere of the standing bar and shamisen-playing background music.

So what to drink?

Yamazaki 12 year old (Suntory) – Best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water

It’s often said that Yamazaki is the best to introduce Japanese whisky. Yamazaki was in fact Japan’s first distillery, built in 1923 under the helm of Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory Whiskies.

In terms of taste, the Yamazaki 12yr is somewhat raw. Like a primary colour of Japanese whisky – expect it to bold and straight forward, if a little rough around the edges.

Yoichi 10 year old (Nikka) – Best enjoyed neat

I’m a big fan of Yoichi 10yr, maily because it shows the most stark contrast between ‘Suntory-style’ and ‘Nikka-style’ whiskies. If you’re into your peaty/smokey whiskies, this is where you should be starting. It’s is a prime example of the type of whisky that the original founder of Nikka, Masataka Taketsuru, would have wanted.

Fun fact: Taketsuru was the original distiller for Suntory but after ‘falling out’ with Torii over location issues, he left Kyoto and founded the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido, which, having much more geographical similarities to Scotland, he felt would lead to superior whiskies.

Hibiki 17 year old (Suntory)– Best enjoyed neat

Hibiki 17yr is another excellent Japanese whisky. This one is a blended malt from Suntory’s three distilleries. It’s a much more complex whisky already that the single malt Yamazaki, showing some interesting fruity notes on the nose, leading to a dominating spiced vanilla caramel mouthfeel and finishing rather mellow and sweet. Quite palatable all round – In 2012, it even won the ‘best Japanese blend 13-20 years’ at the World Whisky Awards.

Taketsuru 17 year old (Nikka) – Best enjoyed neat

This ‘pure malt’ whisky is one of my go-tos, Japanese or not. It’s got great balance and has an impressive flavour profile. With a somewhat fruity nose, the mouthfeel surprises with a noticeable peated edge, yet maintains a certain mildness to it and goes down smoothly.

The First – Floor Malted (Chichibu) – Best enjoyed with a splash of water

I actually have a bottle of this stashed behind the bar at La Maison du Whisky right now. It’s a very, very different style of Japanese whisky, and really quite unique. On approach, the nose itself reminds me more of a Calvados yielding intense apple and nutmeg notes, however in the mouth it royally packs a punch at a strong 50.5%. One interesting point to make is that this whisky is bottled after only 3 years so it’s actually very young.

Karuizawa 1975 Single Cask (exclusive to La Maison du Whisky) – Best enjoyed neat or with a splash of water

Okay, if you’re feeling a little adverturous and/or like spending a little more, Karuizawa is a distillery you have to be trying. They’ve been making top quality whiskies for decades, and the 1975 is a great example of their craft, as it’s a dark nectar that weighs in at a potent 61.8% proof. And boy do you feel it on the nose… however, you’d be surprised to find that it’s actually very smooth in the mouth and the flavours tingle your tastebuds.

For any further recommendations on Japanese whiskies, feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected].