Treasured Finds: Japanese Sakes and Whiskies

Are you in need of a strong drink? Like Momotaro bringing back treasure at the end of his adventure; from my most recent sojourn to Japan, I have a treasure trove of rare Sakes and exquisite Whiskies for you! Savoured slowly, revel in an aqueous scorch that slowly burns away the worries of your day.

A welcomed break from tradition, Japanese whiskies first came to prominence in 2013 when the renowned Whisky expert, Jim Murray crowned a Yamazaki Sherry Cask as the World Whisky of the Year. If one time is a fluke, Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible has continually ranked Japanese Whiskies the best over traditional favourites from Scotland in 2014 and several years since. Whiskies from the land of Sake have since clinched awards, made shockwaves, and drams then bottles have been enjoyed all over the world. Described as rich and fruity; these whiskies present a nose of exquisite boldness to the drinker.

Being privileged to do research about Japanese whisky, I found that it attributes its success to the combination of these three factors: 

1. Water
   With the gift of 'soft water', long used for brewing exquisite Sakes, your whiskey is a beneficiary of this same principle. If you had a hunch, let me confirm that it is correct; because a few Sake and Shochu breweries also make Whisky on the side! A good example would be the Ji-Whisky, Wakatsuru Sunshine Single Malt Whisky!
   
   
2. Climate
   Japan has warmer summers than Scotland, and the temperature fluctuations when winter comes contributes to the deeper maturation of the whiskeys.
   
   
3. People
   The attention to detail of the people contributes to the added dimension of richness Japanese whiskies are famous for.

If you’d notice, these are some of the secrets that make Sakes great.

A little trivia at this point; what’s the difference between Whiskey and Whisky?

Whiskey is the American spelling, whilst the style (and ingredients used) for Whisky refers to what you’d know as Scotch.

 

       
Photo Credit: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/29388/suntory-hibiki-harmony, https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/18098/macallan-gold 

The success of Japanese Whiskies is nearly a century in the making! Beginning in 1920, the first pioneers made a conscious effort to recreate Scottish Whiskies - hence the spelling convention used.

To make the delectable masterworks they have now been recognized for, one has to be a master of Malts. Malt is mostly barley or other grains that have been soaked in water, causing germination, then dried. In fact, rice can become malt, and doesn't all these also sound like Sake making?

Having almost a century of refinement before it's enjoyable blends gained worldwide renown. Their other similarity with Sake comes from the palate of the Japanese in that; the Japanese are discerning eaters and drinkers, and only the best of anything will do. Because the Japanese enjoy their drams with their meals; throughout their meals, the Whiskies are designed to pair with food. It’s also why we stock Whiskies in our Izakaya! And in a departure to how some purists enjoy their glass of amber (golden or whatever colour, depending on your preference) elixir… They make a cocktail called the highball, which is a mix of soda, a slice of lemon and Whisky.

Do you agree with a certain scene in a certain Quentin Tarantino movie about wasting good Whisky?

Photo Credit: http://metro.co.uk/2016/01/19/quentin-tarantino-confirms-there-is-a-link-between-all-of-his-films-and-their-characters-too-5633116/

When Japanese Whisky is mentioned, what feelings does it evoke in you? My hope is that just as the world has come to love Japanese Whisky, more people will also love Sakes. So I would like to invite you to enjoy some of my Sakes with your meal, and have a dram (or more) of Whisky in my Izakaya!

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