Nestled at the foot of wooded hills near the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, the Yamazaki whisky distillery feels a long way from the northerly glens of Scotch's spiritual home.
But despite its unlikely birthplace, Yamazaki's Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 trumped more than a thousand challengers to be named the world's best whisky by leading critic Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible 2015.
1 Dec 2014 . SHIMAMOTO, Japan. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Senior General Manager of Suntory Holdings' Yamazaki Distillery Takahisa Fujii knocks on whisky casks to check its levels.
The first Japanese whisky to claim the crown owes its success to adroit exploitation of climate and water, special casks and a keen awareness of the Japanese palate, the company says.
In Yamazaki's cavernous cellar, 2,000 barrels emit a heady scent as the whiskies mature, the casks breathing as the seasons change to produce a flavour praised as "near indescribable genius" by Murray.
The distillery's senior general manager Takahisa Fujii says the whisky's deep flavour and spicy aroma are carefully crafted according to changing customer tastes. And, he admits, that local climate lends a helping hand.
"Compared to other countries the temperature is also a bit higher, so the maturations become much more influenced by the casks so we have to make sure to maintain the quality of the barrels,” he said.
1 Dec 2014 . SHIMAMOTO, Japan. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
The popularity of whisky in Japan has ebbed and flowed since Masataka Taketsuru, the son of a sake brewer, returned from Scotland in 1918, helping to establish the country's first distillery at Yamazaki five years later.
Above, 12-year-old whisky matures in an oak cask, fitted with a glass front and back for display purposes at the distillery.
As the good times rolled in Japan's 1980s bubble-era, Scotch mixed with water became an indispensable part of business culture.
51-year-old whisky drinker Kiyoshi Nakano says he began drinking whisky 10 years ago and is now planning to open his own whisky bar. "I experienced the flavour of Japanese whisky and just fell in love with it,” Nakano said.