[Sponsored Content] Japan was introduced to scotch whisky in the late 19th century, when sailors and traders shipped the spirit into coastal port towns – but it wasn’t until decades later that commercial production of whisky really took off. Two men are credited with kickstarting Japan’s love affair with whisky: Shinjiro Torii and Masataka Taketsuru established the historic Yamazaki distillery together in 1924
As long-time readers will know, I do a lot of thinking (and whining) about the price of whisky. Every decision I make at the store and every review I write is influenced by the dollar amount on the bottle’s price tag. … So, when reader Tony sent me the following graphic, it resonated.
It seems that just about every distillery is frantically blending and selecting barrels for one-offs, while their interns are leafing through Gaelic almanacs in the local archive, looking for thus-far unused local landmark names. … Even if you find consistent reviews online, tasting is very subjective [and] “Worth my money” is an impossible metric to crowdsource.
Enter the Whisky Library, a history of your whisky journey – an array of mementos for the purpose of comparing against future brand changes or as a way to revisit lost loves without breaking the bank or building an addition on your house to shelter your hoard of bottles.
I have good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that the statement “Older is not always better” has proven true in my own experience. Sorry. The good news is that you can take it with a grain of salt
Thoughts on whisky fanaticism and what “too far” looks like, and how to find your way back.
Last night I was poking around my open bottles and found a single pour left in an old bottle of Oban 14. Not looking for an analytical experience, I splashed it into a glass and continued with my evening. My motivation was more about freeing up a space in my cabinet by polishing off an old bottle than about actually tasting the Oban.
There comes a point in every whisky lover’s journey when he or she surveys the box/cabinet/shelf/underwear drawer in which his or her whisky collection is stored and wonders how long all those open bottles are going to keep. Here are some tips to keep your whisky tasty, and know when its time has come.
…it got me thinking. How does an individual’s drinking habits affect his or her purchase and consumption of good whisky? As I have descended into the murky depths of whisky mania, I (like many) have begun to think about specific bottles of whisky based on their own individual merit, rather than from the perspective of what fits into my own personal enjoyment of the spirit.
A fictional description of my ideal bar: a place to drink good spirits and eat quality food in an environment that enables the enjoyment of both. Unfortunately, this is (to my knowledge) a fantasy.