Perspectives Archives - Page 4 of 39

Perspectives

Is Shochu Made with Thai Rice? Tracing Mitake Shuzo’s Koji Rice on Yakushima and the Ingredients of Awamori

Sweet potato shochu is, as the name suggests, rooted in the humble sweet potato. Yet if you trace the craft of Mitake, a sweet potato shochu crafted by Mitake Shuzo on the island of Yakushima in Kagoshima Prefecture, an unexpected foundation emerges: rice from Thailand.

Drink

Tracing Acidity: How Asia’s Bar Scene Reframes Regional Flavor

Regional acidity can be understood by tracing the ingredients and processes behind fruit, preservation, fermentation and distillation.

Drink

Decoding Champagne Labels: RM, Single-Vineyard, and Single-Varietal

RM describes the producer, single-vineyard identifies where the grapes grew, and single-varietal indicates the grape used. Three Champagne examples clarify the distinctions.

Drink

Decoding the Label: Five Essential Whisky Terms

Mash bill, single malt, cask strength, small batch and expression describe different aspects of whisky making, from grain proportions to bottling.

Drink

How Grape Variety and Winemaking Shape Italian White Wines

Glera, Garganega, Ribolla Gialla and Fiano reveal how fermentation, grape drying, skin contact and aging shape Italian white wines.

Perspectives

How a Mixer Shapes the Gin: Tonic, Soda, and Sonic

An American spirits publication selected seven gins for the Gin & Tonic (G&T), dividing them into categories such as overall, citrus-forward, and savory. The gin chosen in the overall category did not receive the highest score of the seven.

Perspectives

What Is Kijoshu? Why Does Replacing Water with Sake Make It Sweet?

In the traditional craft of sake, water is fundamental. Yet in the creation of kijoshu, brewers replace a portion of that water with finished sake. One might assume this approach simply yields a beverage of higher potency.

Drink

Understanding “Origin” in Sake as the Climate Shifts

Rice fields, brewing water and brewery location each tell a different part of sake’s origin as the climate shifts.

Drink

The Architecture of Flavor: Defining the Four Expressions of Sakurao Distillery

Four gins from Sakurao Distillery reveal how botanical origin, a coastal plant and added floral aromas shape different expressions.

Perspectives

Thailand’s Draft Amendment: A Proposed Shift in Domestic Alcohol Production Rules

On May 13, 2025, Thailand's Cabinet approved in principle a draft amendment revising the regulations governing domestic alcohol production.

Perspectives

The Shape of the Glass Changes More Slowly Than the Wine: The Champagne Coupe and Flute

In 1874, Madame Louise Pommery, who headed the Pommery champagne house in France's Champagne region, created a champagne for the London market with significantly less sugar.

Perspectives

The Quiet Arrival of Mezcal in Bangkok: What a Single Bottle Can Reveal

In Bangkok's Charoenkrung district, a number of bars feature shelves quietly lined with mezcal crafted by small-scale producers in Mexico. Hotel bars, too, carry selections of agave spirits. Thailand imposes steep duties on imported alcohol, compounded by distribution costs and taxes at each stage.

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