The Hands-Down Best Japanese Whisky to Drink Right Now

If you can find it and afford it, that is.

A bottle of good Japanese whisky (they spell it without the “e”) is incredibly difficult to get your hands on these days, and stupid expensive if you do. Yamazaki 12 used to cost around 50 bucks, but now you can expect to pay at least triple the price at any liquor store that actually has it in stock. So why does Japanese whisky cost so much, and is it really worth it? The answer to the latter question is yes; it is more often than not delicious whisky that is quite different from single malt scotch, its closest spiritual relative. The former question, however, requires some explanation.