Blog Archive - Page 2 of 52

Drink

Understanding Kavalan’s 2026 Awards｜What Did “Distiller of the Year” and “Whisky of the Year” Recognize?

In 2026, Taiwan’s Kavalan received “Distiller of the Year” in March and “Whisky of the Year” in July. Both include the words “of the Year,” but one recognizes a distillery and the other a single bottling. This piece explains what each award assesses and how its winner is selected.

Bar

Agave Spirits’ Changing Place in Asia’s Bars｜What to Check on Bangkok’s Shelves

Agave spirits have long been seen as drinks for shots, but specialist bars in Hong Kong and Singapore now present selections of more than 200 bottles as a way into raw materials and places of origin. This piece reviews the figures and examples, and what Bangkok venues can check on their own shelves.

Drink

Yuzu, Miso and Koji in a UK Cocktail Trends Report｜How Much of Their Provenance Travels with Them?

A UK cocktail trends report lists yuzu, miso and koji among the flavors to watch, yet the article introducing it does not group them as ingredients connected with Japanese food culture. This piece looks at how the report categorizes them and what it cites as signs of quality, with three Japanese beverages as examples of the provenance behind the names.

Course Pairing Design

Thinking of Non-Alcoholic Pairings as a Course of Their Own

A published menu offers a starting point for considering non-alcoholic pairings as a course. Sequence, serving size and timing connect individual drinks with the whole meal.

Drink

After a Record-Breaking Summer｜What Made the Difference in France’s 2026 Harvest

The summer of 2026 was the hottest France has recorded since 1900, and the national harvest is projected to be one of the smallest in 30 years. Yet results differed sharply from region to region. Drawing on reports from winegrowers, this article looks at elevation, soil and vineyard management as clues to those differences.

Drink

Kimoto vs. Yamahai: Why Was It Possible to Eliminate the Rice-Mashing Process?

Why could yamahai omit rice-mashing? Explore koji enzymes, lactic acid bacteria and kumigake, then distinguish brewing methods from rice varieties through a Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute product.

Assortment Planning

Before Adding Shochu to a Bangkok Menu｜Three Things to Consider

Three questions before adding shochu to a Bangkok menu: its category, the restaurant’s purpose and each product’s intended use, with DAIYAME 40 and The SG Shochu MUGI.

Drink

Falling Volumes, Diverging Price Segments: Reading the U.S. Wine Market’s “Hourglass” from Thailand

The U.S. wine market is shrinking in both volume and value, but not evenly. A U.S. bank’s annual industry report likens its shape to an hourglass, with some price tiers growing while others contract. This article reads those figures from Thailand and looks at purchases tier by tier.

Drink

“Nakadori” Is Not a Quality Grade: Where Arabashiri, Nakadori, and Seme Emerge During Pressing

Arabashiri, nakadori and seme are often presented as quality grades. The JSS glossary describes them instead as the order in which sake emerges during pressing and the force applied, and each brewery decides where its middle fraction begins and ends.

Drink

Is “Premiumization” Really About Price?｜Rethinking Thailand’s Alcohol Market Through the Lens of “Occasions”

Is premiumization really about price? Since 2022, global price growth for alcoholic beverages has lagged inflation. This article reads Thailand’s market through occasions and order purposes, and suggests recording the reason behind each order.

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