Akashi Blue Label Whisky

Akashi Blue is one of those whiskies that surprises people. It's made at a small Japanese distillery where the head distiller is also a Toji (a master of sake production) and those sake-making techniques carry over into the whisky in a really noticeable way. The result is something unusually smooth and delicate for its age, with a gentle sweetness from bourbon cask ageing and a touch of richness from a sherry cask finish.

It's a great entry point into Japanese whisky, and equally delicious at home neat, on the rocks, or in a simple highball with soda. If you've been curious about Japanese whisky but don't know where to start, this is a solid pick.