A thirst — for knowledge
One of the most attractive aspects of Whisky and all that goes along with it for me is the sharing of the passion with others. Watching someone have a Whisky ‘epiphany’ with a dram that you shared with them in the hope it would hit the same notes for them as it did when you first tried it is extremely gratifying.
Some people take this passion for sharing to the next level — by collating and expertly disseminating their knowledge and passion in words. Dave Broom, Charlie Maclean, Michael Jackson… just some of the names associated with expert and compelling writing, a deep and abiding passion for Whisky and the gift of making this accessible to others.
Brian Ashcraft, with his new book, written in collaboration with Photographer Idzuhiko Ueda and Japanese whisky blogger, Yuji Kawasaki, puts forward a compelling and modern take (in words, photos and tasting notes) on the Japanese obsession and love affair with Whisky which in its own way is a great argument for his inclusion in the same breath as the aformentioned icons.
Japanese Whisky has exploded in recent times (in more ways than one) and there is a lot of speculation, misinformation, rumour, supposition and ‘mystery’ so this book is a timely release indeed. It offers an excellent insight into the world of Japanese Whisky and everything that goes along with it.
Comparison’s with Dave Broom’s amazing book ‘The Way of Whisky’ are inevitable, but unnecessary. Ashcraft’s tome is more concise, and speaks more to the practical and technical side of Japanese Whisky, whereas Dave Broom’s work tends more towards the historical, philosophical and ‘spiritual’ (pun intended).
The writing style and layout make this work super easy to ‘dive’ into and the flow and progression seem well organised, logical and move from topic to topic at a pace which never seems rushed or drawn out — a true feat considering how hard it is for people who write about Whisky to stay on topic and keep ALL of the audience engaged (and awake — a failing of mine!).
There was plenty of information in the book that was new to this Whisky fanatic. One particularly fascinating account (among the many) that stood out was the ‘Suntory Whisky’ served to US Occupation troops….
Even without knowing the author’s background, passion and obsession for Japanese life and culture, it oozes throughout, and has, along with the ‘behind the curtains’ insights, helped re-ignite this Whisky tragic’s (already considerable) thirst for Japanese Whisky (and the stories that surround it).
An excellent journey covering the distilleries, the products they make, how they are enjoyed, the drinks scene they inhabit (which is dominated by Sake, Shochu and cocktails), the story of how this all came to be and where it looks to be heading, this book is as comprehensive an account as one could wish for.
Having only been published in May this year and having made its way to our shores recently this book would make an excellent gift to yourself (or anyone in your life who is even remotely interested in Whisky, as they most likely will not have come across it yet).
We’d like to acknowledge Tuttle Publishing’s distributor, NewSouth Books, for providing this review copy. It was a truly absorbing and fascinating read and comes thoroughly recommended.
Cheers!
The Whisky List
Photos Courtesy of May Lawrence Photography
Competition Time: Win a copy of Japanese Whisky
The Whisky List is giving away two copies of this fantastic new read. To enter, click on the competition link below and follow the steps. Good luck!
https://gleam.io/iIKsD/win-a-copy-of-new-book-japanese-whisky
