BY NINA YANG

When you think whisky, do you think Japan?  When I think of single malts and whisky, the image that comes to mind is of brawny men in kilts pushing barrels about in a cellar.  However, I am told by my bar tender friend in America to picture whisky distilleries set amongst a backdrop of cherry blossoms,  as Japan with its meticulous attention to detail in all things, is beating the Scots at their own game.

There has been a seismic shift in recent years in the production of whisky with the Japanese now producing world leading whiskies.  Several companies produce whisky in Japan, but the two best-known and most widely available are Suntory and Nikka. Both produces blended as well as single malt whiskies and blended malt whiskies, with their main blended whiskies being Suntory Kakubin and Black Nikka Clear.

The history of whisky in Japan stretches…