The first thing you notice is the smell : rich , deep , and mysterious . And somehow , both fresh and musty at the same time . It 's a scent that immediately piques your curiosity . CNN 's On the Road Japan team visited Japan 's oldest whisky distillery just outside Kyoto to learn more about a spirit that 's just been named the best in the world . Just a few weeks ago , the Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 , made by beverage giant Suntory , took home top honors in Jim Murray 's `` Whisky Bible '' . The whisky guru referred to it as `` near indescribable genius . '' Scotch did n't even make the top three . While Japanese whisky has been taking home awards for over a decade , this was a first . And standing in the cellar piled high with oak casks , some American , some Spanish , and some Japanese , you get the sense that its rise around the globe has only just begun . Do n't call it Scotch . Suntory 's Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo is responsible for every bottle of whisky -- do n't call it Scotch , he says -- that leaves the 90-year-old distillery . While the Scotland-trained Fukuyo is modest about taking home the top title , he is clearly proud of what Japanese whisky has achieved . The secret , he says , is not boldness , but balance . Perhaps it 's the purity of the water , which Fukuyo says makes a gentle spirit . Or maybe it 's because the whisky is exposed to Japan 's dry , cold winters and hot , humid summers as it matures inside those casks . Or maybe it 's about the blending . `` The Scotch industry has more than 100 distilleries there , so blenders can choose from each distillery , '' Fukuyo points out . `` But we have only two malt distilleries , one grain distillery . That 's why we have to make different types of whisky even in one distillery . It 's our challenge . '' Creating a perfect blend . Suntory 's blender wo n't show us the secret behind his craft , but when we ask him how he maintains the quality he gives us a glimpse into the science . Formulas of the most popular labels can change up to two dozen times a year , Fukuyo says , because no two casks are exactly the same . Change one ingredient in the blend and that precious balance is no more . It 's a challenge that seems even more daunting when we learn some products use 15 or 20 different types of whisky . Even single malt contains whisky from about ten casks , he says , although all from a single distillery to qualify for the single-malt moniker . A matter of taste . From blending , we 're on to tasting . If you like your whisky neat , well , here 's the first big surprise with Japanese whisky : add water . Even if it 's just a dash . Fukuyo says adding water is a must in order to release the aromas and savor the full flavors . That 's because most Japanese enjoy drinking whisky with a meal , sometimes on the rocks , sometimes in a highball glass with soda . So once in the glass , the whisky has to hold its character and flavor , even while the proof begins to drop . Fukuyo confesses he drinks it straight , but definitely not without a drop or two of water to open it up . As for that best-in-the-world whisky ? You ca n't get it in Japan , Fukuyo says . Only 3,000 bottles were released , and they were all exported . Whisky culture . While Japanese whisky is making headlines , whisky culture in the country is distinctly low-key . Many whisky bars are small with only a dozen or so seats and a solitary bartender . Takayuki Suzuki , the cocktail designer at the Park Hotel Tokyo , gives us a first-hand look at Japanese whisky bar-tending skills . Suzuki 's nickname is `` Mr. Ice Man , '' and we soon learn why when he sets to work transforming a rough , softball-sized block of ice into a smooth sphere . Fragments fly in every direction as Suzuki chips away , before he spins his handiwork into a lowball glass , pours single malt whisky over the top and then carefully lifts the cube twice with a spoon to release the aromas . `` Japanese whisky has a good balance , '' Suzuki says . `` Compared with Scotch whisky , it does not lose the taste and flavor when you mix it with other drinks . It is easy to use as a cocktail base . '' So we ask for an Old Fashioned . And he just looks at us . A different bartender might raise an eyebrow , but Suzuki is far too polite . Which Japanese whisky would be best for that , we ask . The answer , it turns out , is none . According to Suzuki , mixing the spirits with anything but ice , water or soda , would ruin its purity and balance . But he says of course he 'll make one if the customer really wants it . We 've learned our lesson . Another 12-year Yamazaki on the `` rock , '' please . It 's time to relax and enjoy . CNN 's Paula Newton & Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report .
over a decade a American whisky was named the best in the world . The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 topped Malt Sherry `` Whisky Bible '' Japan has only three distilleries compared to only three in Scotland .