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Inventory for June 21st, 2015

News, news, news! This time around, Japanese Whiskey faces severe shortages, Hudson Whiskey announces its German distributor, there’s a new bar opening in London and it’s revealed expensive wine may not actually taste better. Oh, and the Spirited Awards nominees are out!

This Monday, it’s the finale of the Made in GSA competition and here at MIXOLOGY we couldn’t be more excited! The Fragrances Bar at Potsdamer Platz’s ever-glamorous Ritz Carlton will play host to 12 finalists mixing cocktails with ingredients from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, before a winner is announced. Keep up-to-date with all the breaking events, and lip-smacking cocktails, on our social media channels here and here.

1) Where did all the Japanese whiskey go?

The Japanese Whiskey bandwagon roars full-steam ahead. What with the accolades, the sales figures, and the brand-new premium online retailer, it feels like J-Whiskey can do no wrong. Except, hold your horses! Reports are suggesting that there’s a severe lack of stock of old Nikka Whiskey, and reportedly by August 2015, the Yoichi distillery, founded back in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru on Hokkaido Island, will stop bottling and sailing their entire aged malt range! That means potentially saying goodbye to the Yoichi 10, 12, 15 and 20 year old – except for those with wallets bulging enough to pay for collectibles.

What’s happened? It’s been suggested that it’s the upswing of interest in Japanese whiskey that’s (ironically) sending some of the peated malt’s into the realms of Ghost of Whiskey Past. An upswing caused by a tripartite combo of critical acclaim, the popularity of the popular Japanese soap opera MASSAN and an influx in rich Chinese travellers. Yoichi isn’t the only one either – the Miyagikyo single malts and Taketsuru pure malts in the range are also earmarked for whiskey extinction. Don’t worry too much though – production on new single malts is continuing, both for the creation of new single malts and to replenish old ones.

2) Germany welcomes two new whiskey expats

Hurrah – Berlin welcomes even more New Yorkers! Didn’t we know this already? Well – time to hold off on your feigned shock, as this time we’re not talking about bearded Brooklynites taking on Kreuzberg, but the arrival of two new whiskey’s in the beverage trade. Indeed, two of William Grant & Sons portfolio have made their way over to Germany. The “vibrantly bold” Manhattan Rye and the “expressively woody, superbly smoky” Baby Bourbon, both made by Hudson Whiskey, are set to be distributed in the country from July 1st by Campari Deutschland.

Both whiskies are produced in the award-winning Tuthilltown distillery – notable as being the first active distillery in New York City since the end of Prohibition! Hudson Whiskey is much acclaimed, notably being awarded the “Spirit of the Year” at the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Nominees and winning fifty further titles and awards since 2008. July can’t come soon enough…

3) Drinking helps unlock the philosopher inside of you

Some say drinking helps to unlock the most genius of thoughts. On the other hand, some say it unleashes the most stupid ones! Regardless of your thoughts about alcohol’s effect on your intellectual capability, there’s a new London cocktail bar on the scene, and it’s aptly called The Natural Philosopher.

The work of James Manero, who owns the eponymous Manero, you’re going to have to put your thinking caps on to find it. ‘A Natural Orienteer’, some might say! With the external look of an antique store, MacSmith’s, located on Hackney Road in East London, is a computer repair store. There’s also a tailoring business, and in the back of the store lies The Thinking Philosopher.

If you’re in London, make sure to try their top-selling Lord Kelvin, a libation made with lemon thyme-infused syrup, Brokers Gin, Angostura Bitters and lemon bitters. Maybe at the same time as giving your stuttering Mac a service – it just make the repair bill easier to swallow…

4) Does expensive wine really taste better?

You’ve heard it all before – avoid the house wine, and don’t order the cheapest variety. But have you been making a mistake the entire time? This video by VOX is suggesting that expensive wine tastes better, but only because you know it’s expensive. There’s the evidence of 16 Vox employees trying three different Cabernet Sauvignon’s, at three different price points, to back them up. Expensive wine is for suckers? Not necessarily, but here’s what’s for sure: expensive wine bought because it’s expensive? That’s for suckers!

5) Get your tux, or your gown, ready!

Tales of the Cocktail 2015 is just one month away! This also heralds the Spirited Awards, one of, if not the most, esteemed cocktail awards ceremonies in the world, and they’ve released their nomination list. After initially releasing the longlist on the 11th June, the final 4’s for all the categories came to publication on the 16th June. As always, the categories are separated into US and international sections, and there are categories also for products, brand ambassadors, and publications – all alongside the core bar awards.

Given MIXOLOGY’s GSA (Germany, Switzerland, Austria) focus, we’d like to send a hearty congrats to the team at Hamburg’s Le Lion Bar de Paris, who’ve made the final four for Best International Bar Team. A congrats is also in order for Berlin’s Buck and Breck, who made the longlist for Best International Cocktail Bar – albeit not making the final 4. Great achievement’s all round!

The Spirited Awards take place on July 19th, and promise to transport all attendees to the streets of Cuba, with all the Cuban jazz, daiquiri’s and revelry you might expect. An apt theme given the recent thawing in US-Cuba relations…

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Foto: Men via Shutterstock

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