A month ago I stopped by Japan’s very first spirits competition, the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition. The initial results are now in, so let’s have a look!
You can download an Excel file of the results on the official homepage. Scotland has earned itself 87 awards, and Japan came next with 64. Country-wise, third place is Mexico, with a total of 18 awards. That may sound like a lot, but looking closely you’ll notice that the vast majority of award-winning entries received Bronze or Silver awards. Gold or Superior Gold were handed out very sparingly, awarded to only 7.5% of the entries.
In fact, there were 26 categories–out of 126 possible–that had no winners at all, despite having bottles entered. That includes the categories for Japanese Grain 12 & Under, Japanese Grain 13 & Over, and Japanese Blended 12 & Over. It’s a significantly different result than what we saw from the recent World Whiskies Awards, where Japanese blends and grain outperformed versus their global counterparts. Likewise, you’ll find that many spirits highly decorated in other global competitions were awarded “only” Bronze or Silver awards (TWSC has not published a list of all bottles entered — only the winners).
Needless to say, the judges of this competition were indeed quite tough — so a big congratulations to all the winners! Given the Japan focus of this site, you’ll find the Japan winners, both whisky and non-whisky, below. As you can see there is some consistency with previous awards, but also some surprises. For example, the Yamazaki 12 beating out Yamazaki 18.
Coming in over the next several weeks, we should have more special and best-of awards announced, leading into the awards ceremony and party — the latter is open to the public — on June 8.
Whisky
Superior Gold
- Hombo Shuzo: Komagatake 2012 6 Years Old Single Cask No. 1493
- Suntory Spirits: Yamazaki 12 Years Old
- Hombo Shuzo: Komagatake 1990 27 Years Old Single Cask No. 1040
- Moegi no Mura: Ichiro’s Malt & Grain 29th Anniversary Kiyosato Field Ballet
- Suntory Spirits: Hibiki 21 Years Old
Gold
- Kirin: Fuji-Gotemba Distiller’s Select Single Malt
- Hombo Shuzo: Komagatake Tsunuki Aging 2018
- Suntory Spirits: Yamazaki 18 Years Old
- Suntory Spirits: The Essence of Suntory Whisky Yamazaki Distillery Peated Malt
- Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery: Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Japanese Blended Whisky Limited Edition 2019
Silver
- Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery: Ichiro’s Malt Chichibu The Peated 2018
- Nikka: Miyagikyo
- Nikka: Yoichi
- Eigashima Shuzo: Akashi 10 Years Old Old Sherry Butt
- Hombo Shuzo: Komagatake Double Cellars 2019
- Suntory Spirits: Hakushu 18 Years Old
- Moegi no Mura: Paul Rusch 120th Anniversary of Birth Single Malt Whisky
- Hombo Shuzo: Komagatake Tsunuki Aging Single Cask Hojo Selection 2018
- Kirin: Fuji-Sanroku Signature Blend
- Suntory Spirits: Hibiki Japanese Harmony
- Fukushima Kennan Syuhan: 963 Amber Double Matured
- Fukushima Kennan Syuhan: 963 Black Double Matured
- Venture Whisky Chichibu Distillery: Ichiro’s Malt & Grain World Blended Whisky
- Sasanokawa Shuzo: Yamazakura 6 Years Old Cabernet Sauvgnon Wine Cask Finish
- Sasanokawa Shuzo: Yamazakura 6 Years Old Chardonnay Wine Cask Finish
- Sasanokawa Shuzo: Yamazakura 6 Years Old Pinot Noir Wine Cask Finish
- Sasanokawa Shuzo: Yamazakura 18 Years Old Pure Malt
Bronze
- Suntory Spirits: Hakushu
- Suntory Spirits: Yamazaki
- Miyashita Shuzo: Okayama
- Kirin: Fuji-Gotemba Distiller’s Select Single Grain
- Fukushima Kennan Syuhan: 963 Red Double Matured
Not Whisky
Gold
- Sata Shoten: Akayane Gin Heart Fuyu
- Suntory Spirits: Roku
- Kyoya Shuzo: Yuzugin
Silver
- Sapporo Beer: Sapporo Brandy Koshu 20 Years Old
- Iejima Bussan Center: Ie Rum Santa Maria Premium T25 Hometown Tax Return Limited Relevant Goods
- Iejima Bussan Center: Ie Rum Santa Maria Distillery Limited 1
- Sata Shoten: Akayane Craft Gin Juniper Berry
- Miyashita Shuzo: Craft Gin Okayama
- Kyoya Shuzo: Hinata
- Takada Shuzo: Kumamoto Jin Jin Gin
- Masahiro Shuzo: Masahiro Okinawa Gin Recipe 01
- Nikka: Nikka Coffey Gin
- Chugoku Jozo: Sakurao Gin Hamagou
- Tatsumi Distillery: Tatsumi Distillery Green Absinthe
Bronze
- Nishiyama Shuzojo: Grappa MonteOeste
- St.Cousair: Iizuna Apple Brandy 2018 Blanche
- Iejima Bussan Center: Ie Rum Santa Maria Gold
- Iejima Bussan Center: Ie Rum Santa Maria Premium T17
- Helios Shuzo: Helios Teeda 5 Years Old Okinawa Craft Rum
- Sata Shoten: Akayane Craft Gin Green Tea
- Nisshin Shurui: Awa Gin Clear Bottle
- Takada Shuzo: Jin Jin Gin
- Yomeishu Shuzo: Kanomori
- Yomeishu Shuzo: Kanoshizuku
- Whisk-E: Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin
- Whisk-E: Ki No Bi Sei
- Komasa Jozo: Komasa Gin -Sakurajima Komikan-
- Mizuho Shuzo: Ori-Gin 1848 -Tropical ＆ Rich-
- Chugoku Jozo: Sakurao Gin Original
- Meiri Shurui: Wa Gin
- Suntory Spirits: Suntory Casked Umeshu
- Sanwa Shurui: Tumugi Buntan
Hi there! I created and run nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo since 2008, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). I also sit on the Executive Committees for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition and Japanese Whisky Day. Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!
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