Yoichi 20-year-old, distilled near Sapporo, became the first whisky produced outside Scotland to win the single malt award. And Suntory Hibiki took the award for the world’s best blended whisky.

Yoichi, which costs £150 a bottle, beat last year’s winner, Skye-made Talisker 18-year-old, after a blind tasting of more than 200 varieties by a panel of 16 leading whisky experts.