Which Japanese whisky was named the world’s best whisky in Jim Murray’s 2015 Whisky Bible?

Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was named the world’s best whisky in Jim Murray’s 2015 Whisky Bible.

The award was notable because Yamazaki became the first Japanese whisky to receive the publication’s overall top honour. The whisky was produced at the Yamazaki distillery, Japan’s oldest commercial malt whisky distillery, founded by Suntory in 1923.

Its name identifies both the distillery and the maturation style. The expression was aged in Spanish oak sherry casks, which contributed rich dried-fruit, spice and oak notes. The “2013” refers to the whisky’s vintage designation, not the year it was bottled.

This result helped raise international awareness of Japanese whisky and encouraged greater interest in bottles from Suntory and Nikka. It is distinct from Yamazaki 12 Year Old and Yamazaki 18 Year Old, which are separate expressions rather than the award-winning release.