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 […]

TV Tokyo has announced that this fall they’ll begin airing a drama named Kohaku no Yume, or “Amber Dream,” based on the life of Suntory founder Shinjiro Torii. The new show is a dramatization of a novel of the same name by best-selling Zainichi author […]

Two of Suntory’s latest RTDs, The Cocktail Bar Professional Gin & Tonic and The Cocktail Bar Professional Moscow Mule were just released on April 3rd. New, affordable, and two cocktails I drink at bars. Sure, why not? Before that though let’s just take a look […]

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 […]

We’re rapidly approaching that time of year again! Yes, the Tokyo International BarShow 2018 is scheduled over two days, May 12 & 13 11AM-6:30PM, at Tokyo Dome City Prism Hall. What is the Tokyo International BarShow? By far the biggest celebration of cocktails and bartending in […]

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 […]

The global results of the World Whiskies Awards 2018 are now in, and Japan has cleaned up! The following three whiskies have won World’s Best titles: Hakushu 25: World’s Best Single Malt Taketsuru 17: World’s Best Blended Malt Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Limited Edition: World’s […]

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 […]