Is Japanese whisky getting too expensive for what you get?

I need to vent. I've been into Japanese whisky since before the boom — back when you could find Yamazaki 12 for $50. Now it's $150+ if you can even find it, and half the "Japanese whisky" on shelves is actually distilled elsewhere and just bottled in Japan. The new labeling standards help, but I'm seeing bottles from newer Japanese distilleries priced at $80-120 with zero age statement and limited track record. Meanwhile you can get incredible Scotch with 12+ years of age at that price. Am I being a grumpy old man, or has the hype outpaced the quality? Curious what others think.

8 replies

Replies (4)

BB Bourbon BaronJan 27, 2026

Not grumpy — you're right. Supply and demand is doing its thing. Japanese distilleries weren't built to handle the global explosion in demand, so aged stock is genuinely scarce. That explains the prices on legit aged stuff. What bothers me more is the NAS (no age statement) trend at premium prices. At least Scotch has pretty strict rules about what goes on the label. The Japanese whisky space is still the Wild West by comparison. That said, I've had some incredible stuff from Chichibu and Akkeshi that I think earns its price tag through sheer craft quality. It's the mediocre bottles riding the hype that annoy me.

AA Agave AmyJan 28, 2026

Same exact thing happened with mezcal. Once it got trendy, prices doubled and the market got flooded with mediocre bottles at premium prices. At least with agave spirits you can still find incredible artisanal stuff at reasonable prices if you know where to look. For Japanese whisky, I'd say look at the less hyped distilleries. Mars Shinshu and White Oak have some really interesting releases that fly under the radar because people are too busy hunting Suntory and Nikka.

SS Smoky SamJan 29, 2026

Counterpoint: some of these newer Japanese distilleries are doing genuinely innovative stuff with different wood types, fermentation techniques, and climate aging that you can't get from Scotland. Nagahama's experiments with different cask types are legitimately fascinating. Is $100 a lot for a 3-year-old whisky? Absolutely. But if it tastes like nothing else on the market, there's an argument for the premium. The problem is when generic bottles ride the "Japanese" label for inflated pricing.

WW Whiskey WandererJan 30, 2026

Good points all around. I think my frustration is really about the lazy cash-grabs, not the legitimate innovators. I had a Mars Komagatake last month that was genuinely excellent and fairly priced. And yeah, Chichibu earns every penny. I guess the lesson is: do your research, ignore the hype, and judge every bottle on its own merits. Radical concept, I know. Thanks for talking me off the ledge.