Podcast

INTRO

In episode 75 our hosts at long last profile the iconic and iconoclastic Chuko Distillery in Okinawa.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before. 

STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.

Stephen and Christopher are enormous fans of Chuko and everything they do.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Instgram. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Chuko Distillery

Established in 1949 by Chuko Oshiro, the Tomigusuku Distillery just south west of Naha City on the main island of Okinawa, is a medium sized awamori maker (900 kL/year) that certainly punches above its weight in no small part due to the passionate and talented president.

As with all awamori, Chuko uses 100% black koji inoculated rice to make all of their traditional spirits. Where they stand out from the 46 other active awamori makers is in their innovation. They’ve cultivated their own yeast strains, experimented with different koji propagation duration and temperature, and have even used Japanese domestic rice, which creates a wildly different expression than the industry standard of long grain Thai rice.

But where Chuko perhaps stands out most is in their revival of Tomigusuku pottery. With nearly a dozen potter’s wheels and 4 industrial kilns, Chuko makes all of their own ceramic aging pots – both those used in their aging warehouse and those sold to customers for home aging. The distillery began production of their ceramics in 1989 after 6 years of experimentation to find the right clay mixture, designs, and firing methods. Essentially all other awamori makers use the same ceramics all sourced from brokers. Chuko alone makes their own.

Visiting

Fortunately, Chuko is not far from the International Airport in Naha. If you’re feeling flush, you can take a taxi. If you’d rather save your yen, then take the Monorail to the nearest station and then walk about 15 minutes or figure out the local bus routes.

Walk-ins are welcome, but if you’re going as a group its probably good to call ahead (Japanese only so use your concierge or a local guide). This will likely open up the tasting bar that is not open to walk-ins.

Definitely pick the ceramic you love most and take it home. You won’t regret it. We’ve never regretted a dime we’ve spent in their shop.

Brands Discussed

Chuko (30% ABV) This is the flagship brand for the Chuko Distillery and the one most likely to be found in liquor stores around Japan. Available in both standard (aged <3 years) and kusu (aged 3+ years) versions, this is very representative of awamori as a category.

Chuko Kusu (43% ABV) Aged Chuko bottled as storage strength can run up to hundreds of dollars. It is typically bottled at 3, 5, 10, and 15 years of age though the older ages are harder to find and much more expensive.

Yume Koukai (30% ABV) This vacuum distilled expression is made with sake yeast, giving it a distinct green apple aroma. The brand name was revived from mothballed awamori, but with new anime-esque packaging and a very unusual fruit forward profile. Lovely with sparkling water.

Yokka Koji (43% ABV) Yokka Koji is, as Christopher says in the episode, a shapeshifter. It presents grain, fruit, dairy, and toasted coconut. The unique (and largely secret) 4 day koji process makes this a singularly unique awamori. The president recommends drinking it as a frozen shot. Stephen thinks it improves any vodka cocktail on the planet.

Yokka Koji Mango Yeast (43% ABV) This one may be hard to find as its only made periodically and it sells out very fast, but if you happen across a bottle try it or buy it. All of the interesting character of Yokka Koji with a completely unexpected yeast profile.

Much More to Explore

As always, there is more to learn from listening to the episode or following Stephen and Christopher social media.

Kari!

INTRO

In episode 74 our host Stephen Lyman sits down with author of Whisky Rising, Stefan VanEycken in Tokyo. They discuss Stefan’s whisky journey, his book, and the state of Japanese whisky in 2024.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before. 

STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.

Stephen and Christopher love fine whiskies regardless of where they are made, but rely 1st and foremost on Stefan for the latest info on Japanese whisky.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen via Twitter or Instagram @JapanDistilled. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Right Place, Right Time

Special Guest Stefan VanEycken

Belgium native Stefan VanEycken arrived in Japan at precisely the right time, because it was the wrong time to be a fan of Japanese whisky. A music educator, Stefan came to Japan to study music, but in his exploration of the country, he discovered whisky distilleries hidden plain sight.

He had a nose for the stuff having been a resident of Scotland before moving to Tokyo in 2000. He soon discovered the Hakushu Distillery and then the Karuizawa Distillery and others. These “dark ages” of Japanese whisky, when distilleries had either shuttered or were operating only seasonally or 1 to 2 days a week, opened up a world of possibility for Stefan who soon found himself writing for Nonjatta, the premier English language resource for Japanese whisky at the time.

During this time he was able to find affordable long age stated Japanese whiskies at a small fraction of what they command today. He and partner Chris Bunting guided Nonjatta through the glory days of the rise of Japanese whisky, but the information proved too valuable as other whisky writers, some of whom had never even visited Japan, began using their website to write about Japan’s whisky scene. The site was shuttered in 2020 with no eye toward restarting. The original articles do remain for perusal if you are interested.

Whisky Rising is Born

Stefan was finally convinced to write Whisky Rising, the first definitive guide to Japanese whisky ever written. This magnificent book was published in 2017 with a 2nd (and likely last) edition published in 2023 for the 100th anniversary of Japanese whisky making. At the time he was writing the 1st edition, there were fewer than 20 active whisky distilleries in Japan. By the time he was writing his 2nd, there were over 40. By sometime this year there will be over 100. The task of visiting all and writing a comprehensive guide has likely become far too difficult for one person.

Ghostly Bottles

With his access to distilleries at role at Nonjatta, Stefan began bottling private casks of whisky for Nonjatta readers and later for other fans of the category. Today his Ghost Series has climbed to more than 20 bottlings and even incomplete sets are commanding thousands of dollars. The fetishization of Japanese whisky does not appeal to Stefan, but given the state of whisky collectors and speculators, the trend does not seem to be ending anytime soon. He will continue to bottle ghost series bottles and try to democratize how they are distributed (a recent bottling was only available via lottery after qualifying for a stamp rally by visiting a number of whisky bars throughout Japan).

Much More to Explore

Stefan is not easy to find on social media, but if you would like to follow his work, he writes for Whisky Magazine UK and Whisky Magazine France. Our co-host Stephen admits, he’s kind of jealous of Stefan for avoiding social entirely.

Kanpai & Aloha!

INTRO

In episode 73 our host Stephen Lyman visits Aloha Whisky Bar in the Ikebukuro neighborhood of Tokyo. He and owner David Tsujimoto talk whisky discovery, the journey to bar ownership, and the state of Japanese whisky in 2024.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before. 

STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.

Stephen and Christopher love fine whiskies regardless of where they are made, but authenticity is a key aspect. They first visited Aloha Whisky together during the pandemic and it is now their preferred whisky bar in Tokyo.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen via Twitter or Instagram @JapanDistilled. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

What is Aloha Whisky Bar?

Special Guest David Tsujimoto

David is a Hawaiian of Japanese decent who followed a girl to Japan and never left. In 2017 he fell in love with Japanese whisky through a bottle of Hakushu 12 and has never looked back. In 2019, he decided his 1,500 bottle whisky collection needed to be shared with friends so he opened Aloha Whisky. There was such a deep need for this kind of casual, friendly whisky by in Tokyo that in 2020 Aloha Whisky was named Bar of the Year by Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky awards.

To follow him on social, search for Aloha Whisky on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook (Stephen’s still locked out so not linking to that one).

Today David’s bar has become one of the top meeting places for Japanese whisky lovers in Tokyo. His regular customers include whisky curious Japanese, fanatical expats including Mac Salman from Kanpai Planet and Whisky Rising author Stefan VanEycken, and others. His irregular customers are foreign travelers who discovered him on Instagram and just had to try what he’s offering. A truly amazing experience.

On my first visit back in 2021, I was fortunate enough to try a birth year Ben Nevis grain whisky, a 20 year old Springbank, a Springbank local barley, and a single cask bottling from Chichibu.

No pretension. Reasonable prices. Hawaiian hospitality. It’s a wonderful place to have a dram or 4.

The State of Japanese Whisky in 2024

As I sit here sipping on the last dram from a bottle of Kirin’s Fuji Sanroku signature blended whisky, I am thinking about the discussions I have had over the past month or so with David, Mac, Stefan VanEycken (teaser: next episode), Billy Abbott from The Whisky Exchange, and distiller extraordinaire Brendan McCarron and I can’t help but think that Japanese whisky is at a crossroads. With over 100 new distilleries opening over the past 10-15 years and suddenly flattening sales overseas, there may be a glut of new whisky hitting the market soon. David and I reflect on this potential crisis in our discussion. See what we have to say.

David’s Current Obsessions

At the end of the episode, I asked David for 3 bottles he’s currently obsessed with. He responded quickly and decisively and here they are.

A Ghost Series 9 year old Chichibu aged in Saison casks (61% ABV). The Ghost Series are private bottlings from Stefan VanEycken released periodically as he finds interesting casks to bottle. His close relationship with Chichibu’s owner and distiller Ichiro Atuko led him to this beauty.

Suntory Pure Malt Whisky First Edition. A legendary 1986 bottling. David’s opened the last bottle he’s willing to part with so if you want to try it, you better hurry to Aloha Whisky ASAP. Sadly, I left without getting a pour. C’est la vie.

The Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Pendryn 6 year, batch #2 (50% ABV). Proving that Aloha Whisky is much more than a Japanese whisky bar, David has some of the most interesting international bottlings you’ll find anywhere. This one is an absolute fruit bomb that will surprise anyone who claims they don’t like whisky, but do like pina coladas.

Much More to Explore

As always, there is more to learn from listening to the episode or following Stephen, Christopher, and David on social media.

Kanpai & Aloha!

INTRO

In episode 72 our hosts reflect on a massive increase in awareness for shochu in awamori overseas and wonder about what 2024 has in store.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before. 

STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.

Stephen and Christopher are absolutely fanatic for these koji-based spirits form Japan and its so rewarding to finally see growth in the categories overseas. Let’s keep this going!

If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Instgram. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Wall Street Journal Magazine on Kysuhu Artisans

This piece by Tom Downey in Wall Street Journal is behind the paywall, but is an absolute masterpiece if you have an account.

2023 Reflections

Tales of the Cocktail, G7 Summit, Ritz Carlton, Jose Andres, New York State law change. This was a year of incredible growth in awareness of shcohu and awamori as categories in the United States and elsewhere.

Shochu Trends 2024!

The 2024 JSS Shochu Cocktail Competition is going in full force. Stephen and Christopher will keep doing everything we can to keep this thing growing. Please do your part as well.

Much More to Explore

As always, there is more to learn from listening to the episode or following Stephen and Christopher social media.

INTRO

In episode 71 our host Stephen Lyman is joined by James Beard Award Winning Author and Journalist, Emma Janzen to talk about the similarities, differences, histories, and culture behind two of the world’s most fascinating indigenous spirits traditions: agave spirits and koji spirits.

CREDITS

Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)

Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)

HOSTS

CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before. 

STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.

Stephen and Christopher love to all things indigenous alcohol traditions. While they both live in Japan and focus on Japanese spirits on this podcast, if you put something interesting and authentic in front of them, they are likely to enjoy it.

If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you. 

SHOW NOTES

Special Guest Emma Janzen

Emma is an award-winning journalist and author who writes and photographs spirits and cocktails for outlets including The New York Times, PUNCH, The World’s 50 Best Bars, and more.

The recipient of two James Beard Foundation awards and two Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, she is the author of a 2017 book about mezcal; she co-authored cocktail books in recent years with reputable industry figures such as Julia Momosé, Toby Maloney, and Jim Meehan; and has also contributed to various other texts including The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails and Signature Cocktails.

Currently the Drinkways Editor for Good Beer Hunting, she also serves as the Midwest Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Bars. In 2023, she was named an IACP finalist for best personal essay and ranked #32 on the Drinks International Bar World 100, an annual list of the industry’s most influential people.

You can learn more about Emma at www.emmajanzen.com and we strongly recommend you follow her on Instagram. To learn even more, here’s a link tree.

Agave Spirits v. Koji Spirits

Agave spirits, of course, refer to mezcal and tequila as well as less well known styles such as sotol and bacanora. All of these share a similar ancestry and all are made from agave plants, but they can express in such wildly different ways. In this episode, Emma breaks down agave spirits and with Stephen’s help, draws parallels to Japanese traditional spirits of honkaku shochu and awamori.

Distillation arrived in Mexico thanks to the Spaniards and potentially the Filipinos in the 16th century. This is around the same time that distillation arrived in mainland Japan, but we believe distilling was happening in Okinawa in the 15th century.

Both traditions grew up in isolation – Japan as a hermit kingdom and rural Mexico very far from the centers of European power at the time. Local agave production and processing lead to the creation of agave spirits while local agriculture and the use of koji for sacchrification of starches led to koji spirits in Japan.

Obviously, due to the very different cultures, climates, and production methods that are used to make these spirits, they are wildly different in how they express in the glass, but the common thread of their artisanal qualities cannot be missed.

Until very recently neither traditional spirits type was used in cocktails, but virtually always consumer straight or diluted with water or ice. Today, not only are both spirits becoming popular cocktail ingredients, they are at times paired together to create amazing drinks such as the Koji-San at Bar Goto in New York City.

Much More to Explore

As always, there is more to learn from listening to the episode or following Stephen, Christopher, and Emma on social media.

Kanpai!