What's in your whisky

How would you feel if you spent $200 on a $65 bottle of Japanese whisky only to find out it wasn't, well, Japanese? That's the reality malt aficionados woke up to when the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association established new labeling standards. They don't have the force of law yet, but are expected to soon. Despite its meteoric rise on the global connoisseur market, Japanese whisky could be sourced from anywhere on the planet up till now, as long as the liquor was bottled within the country. The Japanese whisky market is so hot, a lottery was held for the privilege of spending $27,600 on bottle of Yamazaki 55 single malt. Photographer: Noriko Hayashi/Bloomberg Nikka Whisky From the Barrel is one such bottle that uses spirit from Scotland—and is likely to rankle connoisseurs and high-end collectors when it loses its "Japanese" designation. The robust blend, recognizable by its squatty, rectangular bottle, has been Tokyo barroom staple since the mid-1980s and was almost instantly honored as the year's best whisky when it arrived to U.S. shores in 2018. Nikka Whisky From the Barrel and Nikka Days do not meet the new guidelines for Japanese whisky. Source: Nikka But to connoisseurs this news may be a big shrug. Philosophically, the notion of provenance is a secondary consideration in this part of the world. Blending is the true art. Taste—not trophy status—is the point. It's why Japanese whisky houses are more likely to champion master blenders than distillers on marketing material. And it's also why Nikka is confident about preserving the precise blend of Whiskey From the Barrel, even if it means shedding the words "Japanese whisky" from its moniker. The new Japanese whisky regulations Source: Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association. "If using imported whiskies as a part of the formula is beneficial to create or maintain the flavors of our unique expressions, we will continue this practice," says Emiko Kaji, the distiller's international business development manager. However this affects prices remains to be seen, but fans of Japanese whisky, once and for all, will know precisely what's in their glass: whisky actually made in Japan. All Suntory labels sold in the U.S.—including Hakushu, Yamazaki, and Hibiki—are in compliance with the new regulations.  Photographer: Akio Kon/Bloomberg What the New Japanese Whisky Regulations Actually Mean for Collectors Japanese whisky being made in Japan is a great idea. But for some it's beside the point. Start Your Whiskey Collection With These 10 Bottles What to pour and what to store. Macallan Whisky Seeks Millions With a Little Help From Its Friends A new 13-bottle collection of 54-year-old Scotch features original artwork by Peter Blake of Beatles fame. Start Your Own Wine Collection With These Bottles and Services For profit or pleasure—or a little bit of both. Invest in a Better You This Year in a Way That's Actually Fun A portfolio that's good for your body, your mind, and your soul. Home Sweet Roam Unlike the first wave of Covid-19 lockdowns, which sent people on road trips and to second homes, the second wave has globally triggered a desire for more permanent, warmer, far-flung escapes—costing up to $70,000 a month in some instances. And they're not coming back until there's promise of a vaccine appointment. Chileno Bay in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Source: Auberge Resorts Collection In the U.K. and Europe, the wealthy have flown to such warmer climates as Dubai, the Maldives, and Spain to escape winter lockdown. Americans have more options for tropical bunkers: Hawaii has eased its travel restrictions and borders are open in Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, and many parts of the Caribbean. After all, what good is a second home at Lake Tahoe or Napa, Calif., when nearby ski lifts, wineries, and restaurants are periodically inaccessible, as they were for much of December and January? Logan Paul. Photographer: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images Not coming back at all: some of the world's biggest social media stars. They've been quietly (and not so quietly) relocating during the pandemic for tax reasons much as the Texas tech migration and Wall Street's billionaire snowbirds nesting permanently in Florida. YouTube provocateur Logan Paul to told his 2.8 million YouTube subscribers that because of high taxes he was leaving Los Angeles and moving to the "heaven on earth" of Dorado, on the island's northern coast. Similarly in Europe, Andorra is turning into an online creative hub. The principality of 77,000 people that's best known as a haven for wealthy bankers, sports stars and tax-free shopping. Its top-rate income tax rate is 10%, which compares to 54% in Spain. Andorra la Vella city.  Photographer: Mlenny/iStock/Getty Images Now the tiny, isolated nation in the Pyrenees is home to famous gamers including aLexBY11, ElRubius, Willyrex, Vegetta, The Grefg, Lolito and Staxx. "It's like the Silicon Valley of YouTubers—everyone is here," said to Victor Dominguez, who runs the Wall Street Wolverine business and innovation channel on YouTube. Not for nothing, it's also one of the  Best Places to Travel in 2021. 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