Japanese single malt whiskey has been named the world’s best for the first time by a prestigious guide, which also declined to place a scotch in its top ranking. The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 was described as “thick, dry, as rounded as a snooker ball” by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, which awarded it a record-matching 97.5 points out of 100. The latest guide was released Monday.