Author Archives: George Koutsakis

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The Year Ahead – What’s Set To Happen in Japanese Whisky in 2018

Our recent piece on Japanese whisky in 2017 aimed to help you look back on the incredible year, reminisce on drams tasted and events attended, and learn a little bit more about the wonderful world of Japanese whisky. As 2018 comes to a close, it’s time to let the past go and focus on the […]

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Akkeshi – Japan’s “Islay” Distillery

During the Tokyo Whisky Festival last month, one seminar caught my attention over the others. Into the main hall at 11.15, I rushed up to the seminar room for the 1 hour talk on Japan’s newest Hokkaido producer, the Akkeshi distillery. Held by the charismatic yet extremely humble distillery leader, Katsuyuki Tatsuzaki, attendees were given […]

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A Year In Review – What Happened in Japanese Whisky in 2017

Relationships, friendships, career. Most have their new goals set for 2018, and are spending some much deserved time off during the holidays, reflecting Japanese Whisky review in 2017 as it comes to a close. More importantly, many will be longingly staring at their whisky collection, wishing they’d bought more (or less) throughout the year. For […]

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Gin-Posium 2017 – The Era of Craft Japanese Gin

The year is coming to close, yet, the excitement doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The Tokyo Whisky Festival showcased the rise of tiny, passionate whisky distillers, while over in London, the Spirit Show brought forth craft as a whole. Our team made sure to show the London crowd what Japanese gin is […]

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Getting Exotic With Japanese Spirits

With Christmas just two weeks away, our team is working hard to get all the orders out in time for the big day. Our holiday tasting sets, hampers, and whisky bottles are being wrapped up, in our complimentary Japanese gift-wrapping *wink*, before being shipped out to countries all over the globe. It is indeed the […]

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Japan At London Spirit Show 2017

The end of the year has been a very busy, exciting time for our team here at dekantā. Last month took us across Japan revisiting whisky distilleries, finally attending the amazing annual Tokyo Whisky Festival, before heading to Europe. Yet, one of the most exciting events of the year came last weekend, on the 1st […]

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The Tokyo Whisky Festival 2017

The morning of November 26th was crisp and chilly when we arrived at Takadanobaba station in Tokyo. Clear blue skies overhead, a pleasant breeze kissed our faces as we walked towards the Belle Salle event hall, excited for the amazing whisky event ahead. Arriving at the hall, we looked for the end of the queue, […]

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Festive Decorations You Can Drink

Most than once, amidst the endless toils of Christmas decorating, we’ve all thought about pausing and enjoying a dram. This is especially true if your loved one has the decorating talents of one of Santa’s elves, and untangling Christmas lights is not your forte. Well, this Christmas is going to be extra special, featuring festive […]

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The 10 Best-Selling Japanese Whiskies of 2017

Update: Best Selling Japanese whisky of 2019: Click here Best Selling Japanese whisky of 2018: Click here Best Japanese Whisky Collections: Click here There is no such thing as the “best” Japanese whisky. Despite the main whisky competitions, individuals, and books which attempt, annually, to name the year’s best single malt, the world’s best blend, […]

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The Holidays Kick-Off – Japanese Whisky Hampers, Competitions, & More

The holidays are closing in fast and, with Japanese whisky at the forefront, our team here at dekantā wanted to create something extra special for all our wonderful customers. After some good old-fashioned brainstorming, we realized that our customers love Japanese whisky but probably also enjoy the culture and traditions of the country. Also, its […]