Move over, Scotland. Japanese whisky reigns supreme. The coveted title of World Whisky of the Year for 2015 goes to The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry 2013, according to Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, which is indeed the bible of the whiskey world. It’s the first time this honor has been bestowed upon Japan.

Another first in the Whisky Bible’s twelve-year history: Scottish whisky was absent from the top five list. Ouch. Scottish egos are badly bruised. The Daily Mail calls the results “humiliation for Scotland.”

The Yamazaki is “a single malt which no Scotch can at the moment get anywhere near,” Murrays says in his guide. High praise, especially considering Murray tasted some 4,700 varieties from around the world for his 2015 bible. 

What makes the spirit so phenomenal? Maybe it’s the unique climate or handcrafted sherry casks from Northern Spain in which the whisky matures. Or perhaps it’s the water used to craft Yamazaki, which comes from the foot of Mt. Tenno in Kyoto. Or maybe it's the pedigree and history of the Yamazaki Distillery, which has been doing its thing impeccably since 1923.

Whatever the reason, experts agree on their love for this single malt. Only 18,000 bottles of the winning whisky were produced. It’ll cost you a pretty penny to enjoy this rare bottle—they go for an average of about $1500 on ebay.

Photo via Flickr User Blog Tyrant