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Stories of makers, ingredients, places and the decisions behind Japan's most compelling drinks.

Drink

What Is Subtracted, and What Remains

The umami found in sake and that of Thai fermented seasonings like nam pla and kapi share a striking structural similarity. In recent years, the culinary world has begun to recognize how naturally they resonate with one another. But where does shochu stand in this dialogue?

Uncategorized

Japanese Whisky in Global Bar Surveys: Nikka From the Barrel and a Century of History

How Nikka From the Barrel Shaped the Global Narrative A Century in the Making: How Nikka From the Barrel Shaped the Global Narrative A century ago, Japan had yet to produce a single drop of authentic whisky. Today, when the world’s finest establishments curate their spirits, their gaze inevitably turns toward Japan. According to the […]

Blog

Tropical Wine and the Redefinition of “Origin”

The Khao Yai Narrative Tropical Wine and the Redefinition of “Origin”: The Khao Yai Narrative A subtle shift is unfolding across Bangkok’s fine-dining landscape. A select number of establishments have begun quietly introducing Thai wines to their lists. Even within the contemporary Thai restaurants recognized by global culinary guides, bottles from Khao Yai are finding […]

ROSÉ

A Sake Named by a Poet｜Tamba’s “Kotsuzumi,” the First Step into Japanese Sake

For many in Bangkok, the first encounter with this brewery begins not with sake, but with a silhouette reminiscent of antiquity. Within a glass vessel modeled after Greco-Roman amphorae, large Nanko plums rest quietly at the bottom.

N by HIDETOSHI NAKATA

The Metrics of Maturity

Volume, Context, and the Evolving Southeast Asian Sake Market The Metrics of Maturity: Volume, Context, and the Evolving Southeast Asian Sake Market In 2024, the export value of sake reached a new record high. According to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, sake was exported to more than 80 countries for the first time, […]

Drink

Map of Washu ｜ The Five Steps at a Glance

For many in Bangkok, encountering Japanese spirits often begins with a shared hesitation. Intricate characters on labels, overlapping categories, and subtle distinctions can blur together. Too often, a diverse heritage is reduced to a single impression: an expensive, yet elusive, Japanese drink.

RUM

Same Sugarcane, Different Stories

Okinawa’s Kokuto Rum and Laos’s Agricole Same Sugarcane, Different Stories: Okinawa’s Kokuto Rum and Laos’s Agricole From a single botanical source｜sugarcane｜strikingly diverse spirits emerge: kokuto shochu, traditional rum, and agricole. While all share a common ancestry, their production lineages diverge completely. Kokuto shochu pairs rice koji with brown sugar; traditional rum relies on molasses; and […]

Drink

Fifty Years After the Judgment of Paris｜The Japanese Napa Owner Who Uprooted Vines Just Beginning to Bear Fruit

The Conviction to Begin Anew Fifty Years After Paris: The Conviction to Begin Anew On May 24, 1976, a blind wine tasting took place in Paris. Organized by British wine merchant Steven Spurrier and Patricia Gallagher, the event delivered a stunning result: little-known California wines outscored some of France’s most celebrated labels. In the white […]

Drink

The Truth Behind “It Can Only Be Made in Amami”

The System Protecting Brown Sugar Shochu Is Not GI The Truth Behind “It Can Only Be Made in Amami” ｜ The System Protecting Brown Sugar Shochu Is Not GI Brown sugar shochu can only be made in the Amami Islands. This fact is often explained in shops as being “protected by a geographical indication, like […]

The 1924 Lectures and the Bangkok Wine List

Drink

Why the 1924 Agriculture Lectures Appear on Bangkok Wine Lists Today｜A Century of Biodynamic Verification

Why Biodynamics Endures a Century Later The 1924 Lectures and the Bangkok Wine List: Why Biodynamics Endures a Century Later In February 2026, the wine trade journal The Drinks Business reported that “cracks are appearing in the regenerative agriculture movement.” Within a united front that has long advocated sustainable farming, nuances in interpretation have begun […]

Age Verification