New Rules of Japanese Whisky Association

The Japanese Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association (日本洋酒酒造組合 / JSLMA) established official criteria in 2021 to define what can be labeled as “Japanese whisky.”

Although these guidelines are not legally binding, they aim to protect the authenticity and reputation of whisky produced by its members in Japan, especially in light of the growing number of imported whisky being marketed as if they were Japanese.

The criteria for whisky to be considered "Japanese whisky" by the JSLMA are as follows:

1. Ingredients: Must include malt and other cereal grains, using water extracted in Japan. Malted barley is mandatory.

2. Production Process: Saccharification, fermentation, and distillation must be carried out at a distillery in Japan. The alcohol content at the time of distillation must be below 95%.

3. Maturation: The distilled spirit must be aged for a minimum of three years in wooden casks with a capacity of less than 700 liters, stored in Japan.

4. Bottling: The final product must be bottled in Japan, with an alcohol content of at least 40% at the time of bottling.

5. Additives: Only caramel coloring is allowed; other additives are prohibited.

   
   

These rules came into effect on April 1, 2021, with a three-year transition period.

Although there are no legal penalties for non-compliance, products that do not meet these standards cannot use the term “Japanese whisky” or include Japanese cultural references, imagery of traditional places or objects names (e.g., Meiji, Kyoto, Musashi, etc.) on their labels.

The major Japanese companies that initially discussed and adopted the agreement were five:

• Suntory

• Nikka

• Mars

• Kirin

• Chichibu

But many more have since joined the group like:

• Shizuoka

• White Oak (Akashi/Eigashima)

• Sakurao

• Akkeshi

• Kanosuke

These and several smaller distilleries are committed to maintaining the established standards, ensuring their whiskies reflect the true essence of “Japanese whisky.”

However, there is still no uniform labeling system that explicitly state which products does not meet the criteria. Some producers use terms like “world malt whisky” (e.g., Amahagan) or “world blended whisky” (e.g., Suntory Ao, Chichibu) on their labels. Others, such as Nikka, indicate on their official websites which of their products meet the criteria to be considered Japanese whisky.

You can find the full list of whiskies that comply with the JSLMA's definition of Japanese whisky here on the WhiskyLab website.