What changed in Japanese sake and whisky
The reason most English sake and whisky guides are wrong is not that they were written badly — it is that they were written years ago and never touched again. This page collects the guides where something material has changed, newest first.
Guides where something changed
Japanese whiskyJapanese whisky prices in 2026: list prices went up, resale prices went down
Two opposite things happened to Japanese whisky pricing at once. Here is what it means for anyone who wants to drink it rather than flip it.
Buying & shippingPalate Project (formerly Tippsy Sake): what actually changed in 2026
Tippsy Sake became Palate Project in 2026 and cancelled its old Sake Club. Almost every English guide still describes the old company. Here is what is real now.
SakeSake is UNESCO heritage now. Here is what that actually means
Traditional sake-making with koji was inscribed by UNESCO in December 2024. What the listing does, what it does not do, and why it matters to you.
Buying & shippingSake subscription boxes in 2026: what still exists and what to pick
The biggest sake club in the US closed in 2026 and most guides have not noticed. Here is what is actually running, what it costs, and who should skip it.
Japanese whiskyThe Japanese whisky certification mark: how to check a bottle in five seconds
A certification mark for Japanese whisky arrived in 2025. What the logo looks like, what it guarantees, and the three things it cannot tell you.
Browse by topic
Sake
How Japanese sake is classified, what the numbers on the label mean, and how to pick a bottle you will actually enjoy — written from the Japanese sources.
Japanese whisky
The labelling standard, how to tell a genuine Japanese whisky from a world blend, and which bottles earn their price now that the market has cooled.
Buying & shipping
Which shops can legally ship to your country, what import duty costs you, and how to avoid the counterfeit problem at the top of the market.