Adventures in Asia

In March last year, I had the great privilege of travelling to three of our key branches in Asia – Taiwan, Japan and China – where I found myself welcomed into a whisky culture alive with adventure and curiosity. At its heart was a willingness to share the love of a good dram and learn about whisky collectively, which is exactly what the Society is all about!  

From our talented local colleagues on the ground to our members and events, the spirit of community that flows through each of these countries left me feeling both inspired and reflecting about what whisky means to us across the globe.

TAIWAN

Our first stop was Taipei, Taiwan, just in time for International Women’s Day (IWD), and what a way to begin. The Society’s special IWD events were sold out and attended by all kinds of professional women including lawyers, accountants, businesswomen, entrepreneurs and journalists, to name just a few. We presented our special IWD bottlings and our second partnership with the OurWhisky Foundation; a non-profit that mentors, supports and develops women working in the global whisky industry – a collaboration I suggested to the Society in 2023.

We toasted with my favourite bottle selected by our all-female Tasting Panel, Cask No. 71.109: A Nordic cranachan. Think summer fruits, lemonade and peppery nettles. These bottles weren’t just well received because of their unique flavours. They sparked conversation about inclusion, representation and about how the whisky world is evolving.

Seeing so many women in the room as enthusiasts, leaders, and flavour explorers was a powerful reminder of the role that the Society can play in shaping a more inclusive whisky future. As a graduate of the OurWhisky Foundation and having gone on to become a mentor for the programme, this moment felt especially poignant for me.  

JAPAN

From Taiwan we flew to Tokyo, where everything feels like a masterclass in precision and quiet passion. There was nowhere this was more apparent than our very special visit to Chichibu Distillery, that is normally closed to public visitors. Going behind the scenes of such an iconic and innovative distillery was a real privilege. Everything about Chichibu reflects the detail-oriented craftsmanship Japan is famous for, and seeing a real working distillery always makes you taste the whisky differently – I think this is because you gain a greater connection to the provenance of the drink.  

A real highlight was seeing their eight washbacks, made of the highly unique Japanese mizunara oak, and learning about what really sets this distillery apart. From their unique location in Chichibu, just outside of Tokyo, to the sourcing and buying of their raw ingredients where 70 to 80 per cent of their barley comes from Japan. They also make use of longer fermentation times and mature their spirit in different types of oak like mizunara, also known as Japanese oak or quercus crispula. It was a highly educational experience in understanding why Japan are producing some of the best single malts in the world!

Our member event was hosted by our newly appointed managing director of Japan, Jack Chambers, formerly of Bruichladdich. In this special event overlooking the Tokyo Tower, members came together for an exclusive tasting of their 2025 Gathering festival cask and joined forces to brainstorm its bottle name. It was such a great evening of collaboration and community with members excitedly sharing their favourite bottles and Society stories.  

CHINA

Our final stop was Shanghai, where the theme was very much all about connection. We hosted a ‘bring your own bottle’ blind tasting event (Yi-Zhi-Hue in Chinese) with 20 members. It was an informal, adventurous afternoon of exploring everyone’s favourite whiskies, flavours and stories.

However, what struck me most wasn’t the whiskies on the table (although there were some gems), it was the warmth, generosity, and sense of community. In a city where whisky bars are multiplying and knowledge is deepening fast, these gatherings reminded me that the Society’s strength lies in bringing people together. It’s not just about what’s in the bottle, it’s about what happens around it.

A NEW AGE

Across all three cities, I found whisky lovers who are not just informed but inspired. They embrace stories, uniqueness, and flavour above all else. When it comes to tasting whisky in Asia, there’s a sense of adventure and playfulness that breathes life into our old-world dram culture. The people, places, and passion I encountered this trip reminded me that while Scotland may be whisky’s spiritual home, its community is global.

Julie Roberts is global innovation manager at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society