Drink
The Nuances of Room Temperature: Pasteurization and Environmental Realities
In Japanese bottle shops, arrayed alongside cold displays, many bottles of sake rest quietly on open shelves.
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Two Fruits Differ Only in Juice. One Also Carries Wine.
Among the SHIROI liqueurs made by Sakurao Distillery (operated by SAKURAO Brewery and Distillery Co., Ltd., Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima), three bottles stand side by side: Lychee, La France and Chardonnay. Lined up, their ingredient labels share a great deal.
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SAKE HUNDRED: Three Distinct Expressions Named Category Champions at the Oriental Sake Awards 2026
Three SAKE HUNDRED labels have been named category champions at the Oriental Sake Awards 2026, a sake competition held in Hong Kong. Spanning three distinct categories across ginjo, namazake, and aged sake, the awards illuminate how a single brand explores the possibilities of sake through markedly different paths.
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From Cherry Blossom Yeast to Katsuobushi: The Okinawan Ingredients and Craft Behind LEQUIO
Awamori, liqueur, and rum follow distinct paths of creation. Tracing how they are made reveals shared ingredients and the work of the people behind them.
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Why Wine Professionals Study Sake at the Source
Seeing how sake is made and speaking with the people who make it can help wine professionals explain it in clear, accessible terms.
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Two Paths from a Single Grain: Barley Shochu and Malt Whisky
The difference begins before the amber color develops. Two approaches to saccharification: malt and koji.
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Why Bangkok Bars Ask: “Why Japanese Spirits?”
Ingredients, classics, sustainability. What a bar chooses to serve reflects what it values.
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What Distinguishes Origarami from Nigori Sake?
What separates origarami from nigori sake? Explore sediment, pressing and heat treatment, and why cloudiness alone does not determine sweetness or carbonation.
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Umeshu Is Not Defined by Plums Alone
Fuu uses hon-mirin, while Yii uses craft gin. Explore the base ingredients, sources of sweetness and network of producers behind CU9’s two umeshu.
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A Four-Day Craft: The Okinawan Spirit Behind Edinburgh’s Winning Cocktail
An Edinburgh cocktail competition leads back to Okinawan koji making. Explore the four-day process behind Yokka Koji and the role of production knowledge in bartending.
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When 50% Rice Polishing Is Not Junmai Daiginjo
A 50% rice polishing ratio does not automatically mean Junmai Daiginjo. Explore the eight sake designations, special production methods, nama and Sake Meter Value.
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Japanese Gin Is Not One Single Aroma: Understanding What “Japanese” Really Means
KI NO BI, ROKU and NISEKO ohoro GIN show how Japanese gin connects place to flavor through different ingredients and production choices.
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