A Japanese whisky rated the world's best and Scotch does not make the top 5

Japan’s oldest malt whisky distillery,Yamazaki, which was established in 1923, has won this year's title as the world's best whisky awarded by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.

It is the first time in the 12 years of judging that a Japanese whisky has topped the list and there was not a Scotch among the five product shorlist.
The Yamazaki, of which only 16,00 bottles have been made, is aged in Oloroso sherry butts for around 12 to 15 years, giving it what Murray told London's Daily Telegraph was a “nutty, thick, dry [taste]… as rounded as a snooker ball”.

Mr Murray said the high quality of Japanese and other international whiskies should be a “wake up call” for the Scottish industry.He said that the the Yamazaki tipple was "a single malt which no Scotch can at the moment get anywhere near", and that after tasting over 1000 whiskies for the new edition, he was left wondering: “Where were the complex whiskies in the prime of their lives? Where were the blends which offered bewildering layers of depth?”

The full list of the Whisky Bible winners:

2015 World Whisky of the Year: The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry 2013

Second Finest Whisky in the World: William Larue Weller 2013

Third Finest World Whisky in the World: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013

Single Cask of the Year: Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition #3-4P

Here is the full list of category winners:

SCOTCH

Scotch Whisky of the Year: The Last Drop 1965
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks): Highland Park Loki
Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask): The Last Drop Glen Garioch 47yo
Scotch Blend of the Year: The Last Drop 1965
Scotch Grain of the Year: Sovereign Port Dundas 1978
Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year: Compass Box The Peat Monster 10th Anniversary

Single Malt Scotch:

No Age Statement (Multiple Casks): AnCnoc Rutter
10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant 10yo
11-15 Years (Multiple Casks): Highland Park Loki
16-21 Years (Multiple Casks): Glenmorangie 1993 Ealanta
22-27 Years (Multiple Casks): Glenturret 1986 Famous Grouse Commonwealth Games
28-34 Years (Multiple Casks): Balblair 1983 1st Release
35-40 Years (Multiple Casks): Old Pulteney 40yo
41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks): Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 50yo

No Age Statement (Runner Up): Ardbeg Supernova
10 Years & Under (Single Cask): Alexander Weine & Destillate Port Charlotte 10yo
11-15 Years (Single Cask): Balvenie 12yo Single Barrel First Fill
16-21 Years (Single Cask): First Editions Clynelish 1996 17yo
22-27 Years (Single Cask): Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 1988
28-34 Years (Single Cask): Old Malt Cask Caol Ila 1984 29yo
35-40 Years (Single Cask): BenRiach 1977 37yo Dark Rum Finish #1891
41 Years & Over (Single Cask): Last Drop Glen Garioch 47 Year Old

Blended Scotch:

No Age Statement (Standard): Ballantine’s Finest
No Age Statement (Premium): Ballantine’s Limited Release no. J13295
5-12 Years: Johnnie Walker Black Label 12yo
13-18 Years: Ballantine’s 17yo
19-25 Years: Royal Salute 21yo
26-50 Years: The Last Drop 1965

IRISH WHISKEY

Irish Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast 21yo
Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast 21yo
Irish Single Malt of the Year: Bushmills 21yo
Irish Blend of the Year: Jameson

AMERICAN WHISKEY

Bourbon of the Year: William Larue Weller 2013
Rye of the Year: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013
US Micro Whisky of the Year: Arkansas Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon Whiskey #190
US Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up): Balcones Texas Straight Bourbon VII Bourbon

Bourbon:

No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels): William Larue Weller 2013
9 Years & Under: Ridgemont Reserve 1792 8yo
10-17 Years (Multiple Barrels): Four Roses Small Batch 2013 125th Anniversary
18 Years & Over (Multiple Barrels): Elijah Craig 21yo Single Barrel

No Age Statement (Single Barrel): Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon 1919-2013
10-17 Years (Single Barrel): Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition Single Barrel #3-4P

Rye:

No Age Statement: Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye 2013
11 Years & Over: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013

CANADIAN WHISKY

Canadian Whisky of the Year: Masterson’s 10 Year Old Straight Rye

JAPANESE WHISKY

Japanese Whisky of the Year: Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

EUROPEAN WHISKY

European Whisky of the Year (Multiple): English Whisky Co. Chapter 14 Unpeated
European Whisky of the Year (Single): Belgian Owl Single Malt ‘64 Months’

WORLD WHISKIES

Asian Whisky of the Year: Kavalan Single Malt Whisky
Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year: New Zealand Willowbank 1988 25yo