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International News

Spirit of the

Rising Sun

By: Tod Stewart

J apan is synonymous with many things: Today, these drams are becoming increasingly dif-
ficult to find, and when you do find one you might
electronics, cars, origami, sake, sushi, intri-
cate art, Sumo wrestling and architecture.
Now, if you’re willing to wait out a signifi- experi-ence a bit of sticker shock. However, as with
most things Japanese, you do get what you pay for
cant chunk of your day for it, cheesecake. But (and here I’m primarily talking about the items I
whisky? have tried: sake, sushi, Japanese knives, etc.). The
Japanese whiskies I’ve sampled have invariably
Even after seeing Lost in Translation many years been top-notch. And much to the chagrin of the
ago (a movie featuring Bill Murray as Bob Harris, an Scots, they’ve actually been stealing accolades from
aging movie star visiting Japan to promote Suntory the world’s top drams.
whisky), the connection between Japan and whis-
ky still didn’t really register with me. Thankfully A few years back, in his World Whisky Bible 2015,
that has since changed, and I’ve had the pleasure industry expert Jim Murray crowned the Yamazaki
of enjoying numerous different Japanese whisky Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013, from Suntory, “World
expressions, both at home as well as in Japan. Whisky of the Year.” As it turns out, nary a Scottish

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