The Japanese Way of Whisky: Japan's Whiskies and How to Enjoy Them

This is an updated edition of Dave Broom’s The Way of Whisky (2017), a thoughtful and often lyrical exploration of Japan’s whisky culture—part travel narrative, part cultural study, and only partly a reference book in the usual sense.

Rather than simply cataloging distilleries or offering tasting notes, Broom takes readers on a physical and philosophical journey across Japan, exploring the landscape of its whisky through visits not only to production sites but also to bars, workshops, and places that illustrate the country’s evolving relationship with craftsmanship.

One stop is a papermaker who produces Suntory’s labels; another, a quiet bar where conversations about aesthetics rival the drinks in importance.

Throughout the book, a central theme emerges: the tension between tradition and innovation. As one artisan puts it, “The reason that handcrafts have survived for 1,500 years is because they were innovative. Nothing lasts without innovation.” That spirit carries through the narrative, giving the book a resonance that goes beyond spirits writing.

There are tasting notes here, yes, and detailed profiles of major distilleries. But what stands out is how Broom connects technique to place and product to philosophy. The result is a book to be read, not just consulted—well-suited to the whisky drinker who wants more than a guide, and to the reader who suspects that how something is made matters as much as what it tastes like.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.