Japan’s “first artisanal gin” was launched last year, by the wonderful Kyoto distillery. Yet, it was recently, in 2017, that Japanese gin really went global, with two gins by Japanese whisky giants, Nikka and Suntory. The Suntory Roku and Nikka Coffey gin, both featuring Japanese botanical-heavy recipes, launched first in Japan, and more recently reached […]
Author Archives: George Koutsakis
Hibiki, Hakushu, and Yamazaki, take your pick. Suntory creates many of the legendary whisky ranges we all know and love, but that’s not all the company has to offer. In Japan, the drinks giant produces everything from beer to bottled green tea. On a global scale, their amazing whisky and most recently, their artisanal Japanese […]
I’m dreaming of a white Chr… Tokyo Whisky Festival. *Sings*. It’s that time of the year when we check our naughty and nice list and decide who we’ll be taking to this year’s Tokyo Whisky Festival. After all, it’s the event of the year for fans of Japanese whisky. The event will take place on […]
You know it, we know it, and more people are coming to realize it – Japanese whisky rocks. Unique, harmonious, and innovative, the Japanese whisky industry is growing at a rapid speed. Some expressions by the largest producers are available all around the world, and smaller producers are working hard with their eye towards the horizon […]
Have you made it up to Hokkaido recently? The northernmost part of Japan, far from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Osaka, brings an experience like no other. Hokkaido is the second largest, and coldest, island of Japan, known for its natural hot springs, popular skiing areas, and the world-famous annual Sapporo snow festival. […]
It’s that time of the year again, when whisky expert, Jim Murray releases his annual “Whisky Bible” and presents the year’s greatest whiskies. The 2018 edition featured an exciting new winner in the Japanese whisky category. First published in 2003, Jim Murray’s “Whisky Bible” is a guide presenting all the world whiskies sourced by Murray […]
Halloween is almost upon us. The time for shameless costume-wearing, pumpkin carving, and a huge consumption of candy and whisky, more than you’d typically allow yourself. In the West, kids will be trick-or-treating, while here in Japan, masses of cosplay-wearing people will flood the streets, drinking, playing music, and going nuts. Yep, Halloween is a […]
In the whisky world, there are sources you can trust and some you should question. World whisky expert, Dave Broom, is definitely the former. Dave started writing about spirits in 1995 and has since become one the world’s most respected spirits experts. You heard it, spirits, plural. While his career has led him down a […]
You’re eager and excited, and we understand that you can’t wait to get started on your very own adventure into the wonderful world of Japanese whisky, or is it Japanese whiskey? Perhaps its single malt whisky, blended whisky, grain whisky, bourbon, or rye whiskey? Yep, there are quite a few terms in the whisky world […]
Over the years whisky has been consumed in many different ways. Some of the serves are based on tradition and science and are meant to bring out the full potential of any good whisky. Order your dram straight, or with a few drops of water, and you’ve made the whisky gods proud. Other serves mask […]