Japanese whiskies take world titles

Bitter taste for Scots distillers as Japanese whiskies take world titles

2007

TWO Japanese whiskies have been voted the best in the world.

Yoichi has become the first variety produced outside Scotland to win the single malt award in an international competition run by trade paper Whisky Magazine, it was revealed yesterday.

The whisky, distilled near the city of Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido, beat dozens of other varieties, including last year's winner, Talisker 18 years old, produced on the Isle of Skye.

Suntory Hibiki, the brand advertised by the washed-up actor played by Bill Murray in the film Lost in Translation, scooped the award for the world's best blended whisky.

Rob Allanson, the editor of Whisky Magazine, said: "Hopefully this will make people sit up and realise that the Japanese are producing some phenomenal stuff. While they don't have a particularly strong toehold in the UK, they are making great gains which the British market should take note of."


washed-up

adjective 過氣的

No longer effective, capable, or valuable: done, done for, finished, through. Informalkaput. Idioms: at the end of thelineroad, over the hill, past one's prime.