Raw ingredients: Malted grain must always be used, but other cereal grains can also be included.

Water: Water used in production must be extracted in Japan.

Production: Saccharification, fermentation and distillation must be carried out at a distillery in Japan.

Distillation: Must be distilled to less than 95% ABV.

Aging: Spirit must be aged in Japan in wooden casks for a minimum of three years.

Packaging: Bottling must take place in Japan.

Strength: Bottled spirit must be at least 40% ABV.

Coloring: Plain caramel coloring (unflavored) can be used.

Japanese whisky has a long history that dates back to the 1800s. It wasn't until the 1920s, around the time Suntory's Yamazaki distillery opened, that it became commercially available. Two figures, Shinjiro Torii and Masataka Taketsuru, played large roles in establishing the Japanese whisky industry.

Taketsuru, born into a family of sake makers, learned about spirits early on. After World War I, he was sent to Scotland to study whisky production. There, he gained experience and knowledge about the craft of distillation. Upon his return to Japan, Taketsuru joined forces with Torii, an entrepreneur, to establish Yamazaki Distillery. Disagreements over production methods led Taketsuru to leave and start his own company, Dai Nippon Kaju (later Nikka).