An Insider’s Guide To The World Of Whisk(e)y

The whisky highball is synonymous with the Japanese cocktail scene for good reason. “Each bartender spends years mastering the perfect highball, which elevates the British whisky and soda to whole new heights and creates a tasting experience quite unlike the original,” says James Bowker, House of Suntory’s Global Advocacy Manager. It’s a drink that goes with almost anything, but when Bowker’s pouring a highball (preferably made with Yamazaki Distillers Reserve Japanese Whisky, of course) he recommends sipping it alongside “tempura, ramen or lighter dishes such as sushi.” Like most things in Japanese culture, whisky is approached with painstaking attention to detail and reverence, especially now that it’s regulated. “From April 2024, products labelled as Japanese whisky, or insinuating production in Japan, must adhere to strict requirements,” Bowker says. “They must be made using water extracted in Japan and malted grains, as well as being saccharified, fermented, distilled and matured in Japan.” It’s these traditional methods of making that differentiates Japanese whisky from its Scottish and Irish counterparts — “the choices made by producers are inspired by the Japanese palate, and generally create whiskies that focus on lightness and aromatic complexity,” Bowker says.