Japan has tightened the rules for the production of national whiskey to combat counterfeiting. Starting April 1, 2024, in order to call alcoholic beverages "Japanese whiskey," a number of rules must be followed, including the use of only local water in production. This is reported by France24, according to UNN.
Details
Another requirement for whiskey to be recognized as Japanese is that it must be aged in raw form in barrels in the country for at least three years.
The approved changes are attributed to the fact that amid a sharp rise in the popularity and price of Japanese whiskey, many foreign producers label their spirits as produced in Japan, having nothing to do with Japan. It is noted that although there are no sanctions for violators, businesses in the country have welcomed the new industry standard as a way to protect the image of their products.
It is noted that the volume of Japanese whiskey exports from 2012 to 2022 increased 14 times and reached $370 million.
Producers from other regions, such as Scotland, apply similar requirements for the use of local water and barrels for aging.