Japanese Whisky’s Legal Loophole (Episode 815: April 19, 2020)

The demand for Japanese whiskies has far outpaced the supply over the last five years, and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of a loophole in Japanese law big enough to sail a tanker ship through – as in a tanker ship full of whisky. There’s nothing to stop a clever whisky maker from buying bulk whisky from distillers in other countries and shipping it to Japan, then bottling it as “Japanese Whisky.” It’s been a common – but not widely discussed – practice among Japan’s whisky makers for many years, but with their reputations now on the line, industry and government are discussing how to implement a legal definition for Japanese whiskies. Liam McNulty, who blogs as “Whisky Richard” about Japanese whiskies, broke this story recently and will join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth with an explanation. In the news, we’ll have the latest on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on whisky makers, including one who lost out on help from the U.S. government when its bank dropped the ball.

Links: Nomunication | Kentucky Distillers Association | Eastside Distilling | Wigle Whiskey | Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board | The USBG Foundation | OurWhisky.com | The Glenlivet | New Riff | Arran | Teeling Whiskey Company | Pearse Lyons Distillery Charity Auction | The National | The Last Drop | Blackadder | Balcones Distilling | Gotland Whisky | Buffalo Trace