We recently spoke with ABC Fine Wine and Spirits and their Hatozaki Whisky expert on recent trends. They have started an online tasting class via facebook which has been quite popular. Educational tastings seem to have been a big hit as it has become a new portal for guests to learn and even become a small community.
Some Trends
Largest spirit brands are excelling due to guests not being able drink these in bars or restaurants. Categories that have seen the largest uptick in sales recently are Tequila, Bourbon on the spirit side (as well as Japanese Whisky on a much smaller scale) and Rose/Sparkling on wine side.
Plans for the Future?
Continue to supply guests with interesting wines/spirits and beers at great prices. They are the one that decide the direction for the future.
Hatozaki Whisky
Over 150 years ago in 1856 in the coastal town of Akashi City, Japan, the Yonezawa family established their first sake brewery. Past masters of fermented rice liquor, the Yonezawas built upon their deep knowledge of the grain: they began to produce a distilled rice spirit – shochu – in 1917. The Yonezawa family has been in the Japanese Spirit business longer than most other Japanese whisky producers.
Today, the Yonezawa family continues the tradition through Master Distiller and Blender Kimio Yonezawa who is not only a master-distiller of whisky – but also brews sake as well (Akashi Tai) – and just launched his first Japanese Gin (135 East). In 2017, he celebrated the centennial of the House’s distilling tradition with the release of two Hatozaki Japanese Whiskies (Finest & Small Batch). They named their whiskies Hatozaki, after the oldest stone lighthouse in Japan, a symbol of safety, guidance.
Tasting Notes of Hatozaki Whisky
FINEST
Hatozaki Finest Japanese Whisky is a premium blend of whiskies, aged up to 12 years in barrel with a minimum malt whisky content of 40%.
Light in style with a rich backbone of malt whisky character. Cereal notes and a light sweetness allow for the whisky to be used in both highball and straight pours.
SMALL BATCH
Hatozaki Small Batch Whisky is a vatting of 100% malt whiskies which have been aged in imported bourbon casks, imported sherry casks and native Mizunara oak barrels.
Rich profile of sweet cereals and malty dried fruit with a light touch of smoke and honey on the finish.
Some Cocktail Suggestions with Hatozaki Whiskey:
Neat, On the Rock, Hatozaki Highball (Pour 4cl of Hatozaki Japanese whisky, top of tonic or soda water, garnish with lemon peel, enjoy!)
Food Pairing Suggestions with Hatozaki Whisky
Cantonese Style Chicken Thighs, Peking Duck, Mongolian Beef
For more information, visit https://www.abcfws.com/ and
