Five legendary Japanese bartenders have teamed up to create a new tonic essence called “Bombay Sapphire The Tonic Essence.” It’s a waterless tonic that you can add to soda water for making a gin & tonic. What is tonic essence? Yes, I did just write […]

Kagoshima-based Hamada Syuzo is the latest shochu distiller to enter the Japanese craft gin scene. On May 14 they’ll be releasing a new gin dubbed “Japanese Craft Gin Juju,” containing 7 botanicals. But they’ve only named 5 of them: Yuzu Juniper berry Chamomile Orange peel […]

I think Japan skipped spring this year. In this edition of Chuhai Watch we’ve got lots of new fruity chuhais coming soon to push you right into early summer! Suntory Kokushibori Pear is 15% real pair juice. Not a very common flavor for cocktails! It’s […]

The Coca-Cola chuhais have been officially unveiled! As Coca-Cola’s first alcoholic drinks in its 132-year history, this is one we need to watch carefully. The Coca-Cola “Lemon-Do” series is coming on May 28th. It’s an announcement we’ve been waiting for since the Coca-Cola Japan CEO dropped […]

Kagoshima’s Kanosuke Distillery was just put on the map in November of last year. And they are making whisky, the first of which is Kanosuke New Pot! The latest in a string of new whisky and gin distilleries popping up in Kagoshima, the Kanosuke Distillery sits […]

Japan’s first and only community-owned winery, Tokachi Wine, has teamed up Kokubun Hokkaido to release a new line of brandies called Shima Fukuro. Although these were released in Hokkaido back in February, shipments to the rest of Japan have now started. The new Shima Fukuro […]

Just before we closed out last year, Kagoshima’s Sata Souji Shoten announced the Akayane Craft Gin. They’ve since been dabbling quite a bit, producing potato-shochu-based spirits flavored with yuzu, green tea, sansho, and ginger. Now only 4 months later they’re back to gin again: Akayane […]

Candle and incense maker Kameyama has teamed up with famous sake maker Ozeki to produce One Cup Ozeki brand sake scented incense for use at home. “Your loved ones’ hearts may be throbbing in anticipation of being able to drink everyday in heaven,” the PR […]

2018 is the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration in Japan. The event marked the end of the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and restoration of power to the Emperor, in this case Emperor Meiji. The Meiji government would go on to rapidly modernize and […]

Hombo Shuzo’s Shinshu Distillery is breaking up some more decades-old casks for another Komagatake release. This one is the “Single Malt Komagatake Aged 27 Years.” There have been a couple other whiskies out of Shinshu with the same age statement, and they look to be […]