# The best Japanese whiskies

Japanese whiskies that critics (Robb Report, Men's Journal, Man of Many) and the World Whiskies Awards rank highest, from Suntory's icons to Nikka and craft distilleries.

- 171 votes · 16 items
- Jun 19, 2026 · Amit Das
- https://even.best/en/l/480/the-best-japanese-whiskies

## Top 10

1. **Yamazaki 12** (25 · ▲25 ▼0) — Japan's first malt distillery (1923, near Kyoto); best overall Japanese whisky two years running in several guides.
2. **Hibiki Harmony** (19 · ▲19 ▼0) — Suntory's blend of malt and grain, the face of Japanese whisky worldwide.
3. **Nikka Yoichi Single Malt 10** (15 · ▲17 ▼2) — Coal-fired stills by the Hokkaido sea, best single malt for Robb Report.
4. **Hakushu 12** (12 · ▲13 ▼1) — Fresh, lightly smoky malt from Suntory's forest distillery, Robb Report critic's top pick.
5. **Nikka From the Barrel** (10 · ▲12 ▼2) — Cask-strength blend in a little square bottle, best value.
6. **Hibiki 21** (9 · ▲9 ▼0) — Multiple World's Best Blended Whisky awards, rare and sought after.
7. **Nikka Coffey Grain** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — Grain whisky from Coffey stills, sweet and smooth.
8. **Mars Komagatake** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — Malt from the Japanese Alps (Shinshu).
9. **Akashi White Oak** (8 · ▲8 ▼0) — Malt from Hyogo's White Oak distillery, by the sea.
10. **Yamazaki 18** (7 · ▲9 ▼2) — Sherry and mizunara oak complexity, a collector's bottle.
11. **Chichibu (Venture Whisky)** (4 · ▲6 ▼2) — Ichiro Akuto's craft distillery founded in 2008, cult status.
12. **Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — Single malt from Nikka's Miyagikyo distillery near Sendai, softer and fruitier than Yoichi.
13. **Hibiki 17** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — Suntory's 17-year-old blend, discontinued in 2018 and now a collector's bottle.
14. **Hakushu 18 Peated Malt** (2 · ▲5 ▼3) — World's Best Japanese Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards 2025.
15. **Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt** (0 · ▲3 ▼3) — Blended malt named after Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky.
16. **Kirin Fuji Single Grain** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Grain whisky from Kirin's Fuji Gotemba distillery at the foot of Mount Fuji.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.