The Way of Whisky: A journey around Japanese whisky

by Dave Broom, Kohei Take (Photographer)

Since 2002 (the year it appeared on export markets) Japanese whisky has been consistently winning major international spirits awards. As export production increases and export markets - the USA and France in particular - open up to embrace the quality of these fine malt whiskies, all eyes are on Japan.

Award-winning author and internationally recognized whisky expert Dave Broom has visited Japan 25 times in the past 12 years, studying and learning about its whiskies. In this major new book he shares his personal journey around Japan's whisky distilleries and the unique whisky culture of the country.

Each chapter details the history of the distillery in question, its production and current whiskies (with tasting notes). Dave considers along the way why Japanese whisky is different, questions of tradition vs innovation, and how whisky links with many aspects of Japanese culture. Breathtaking photography from Kohei Take leads the reader deeper into the philosophy behind the drink, making this a must-have edition for any whisky lover, whisky drinker, whisky collector or Japanophile.

Genres: Japan, Food, Booze, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2017

Reviews

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scotsman Delves into the Heart of Japanese Whisky Craftsmanship
I've seen Dave Broom appear at various whisky events like the London Whisky Show, give various talks (like for the Japan Society of NYC where he summarizes this book, which can be found on YouTube), and enjoy his passion for whisky and ability to describe it with eloquence, candor, humor and a lack of pretense. So when I searched for books on Japanese whisky, these seemed the most worthwhile. I ordered all four, and was excited to see Dave Broom wrote one:

1) Whisky Rising: The Definitive Guide to the Finest Whiskies by Stefan Van Eycken
2) The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky by Dave Broom
3) Japanese Whisky: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Desirable Spirit with Tasting Notes from Japan's Leading Whisky Blogger by Brian Ashcraft
4) Whisky Japan: The Essential Guide to the World's Most Exotic Whisky by Dominic Roskrow

Dave Broom has written on whisky and other spirits for nearly three decades, and has visited Japan 30 times over the years, mainly to visit Japanese whisky distilleries, learn from traditional artisans, and go eating and drinking in all the wonderful whisky bars and izakaya of Japan. Rather than just write another book on Japanese whisky that features histories and statistics and tasting notes for each distillery, his mission was to discover the links between Japanese cuisine, terroir, drinking culture, and traditional craftsmanship with the development of Japanese whisky.

The distilleries featured:
Fuji Gotemba (Shizuoka)
Mars Shinshu (Nagano)
Hakushu (Yamanashi)
Chichibu (Saitama)
Chita (Aichi)
Yamazaki (Osaka)
White Oak (Hyogo)
Yoichi (Hokkaido)
Miyagikyo (Miyagi)

But this book is about more than just Japanese whisky, so dispersed between each distillery profile are features on a plethora of Japanese traditional crafts and the artisans who are keeping them alive while ensuring they evolve and avoid stagnation. His companion on this trip was photographer Kohei Take, who captures very evocative photos of their adventures and discoveries. The book itself and the photographs are very beautiful and capture the everyday moments of creation that form the heart of Japanese tradition arts and themes and how they relate to and shape Japanese whisky.

Here are the themes and crafts he discusses:
Seasons, Whisky-do, Ryokan life, Shibui, Mizunara, Tokyo Bar Life, Bar Hopping, Lost Distilleries, New Distilleries, Umami, Washi, Craft (Tea, Sen no rikyu, Ceramics), Kaiseki, Glass, Highball, Blends, Incense, Nature, Pewter, Wabi-Sabi, Water, Zen, Kaizen

To give you an idea of the core themes and some major industry voices (and hopefully to get you interested in getting this book), here are a few sample passages:

[Talking with Mike Miyamamoto, Suntory’s Global Brand Ambassador, at Hakushu Distillery]:

How important then, is tradition? 'We believe that tradition and innovation must be combined. It's a difficult balance to achieve. When, for example, we need to replace or add stills we might not stick to the old shape-that's not tradition in a Scottish whisky-making sense. It is working with tradition in a fluid way.'

What helps to make it Japanese? 'The aim has been to produce a flavor that suits the gentle Japanese palate,' says Ono, 'but also I think the Japanese approach has always been to try and pursue perfection. It's in the blood.' 'And that is part of the tradition,' chips in Mike. 'Improve the character and quality, never be complacent, never be satisfied...that's the attitude.'

I was beginning to wonder if this could be squared with my attempt to align whisky-making with traditional craft practices. Japan's traditions, we are always told, are established on a reverence for the past, and are fixed in time and method. On the other hand, modern Japan is apparently all about copying, adapting, and conceivably improving. Are they two different approaches?

Perhaps I’ve been looking at this in an either/or fashion, that something can either be ultra-traditional or modern. Instead, the tradition is alive and fluid. There is a tendency to think of whisky in terms of a rigid continuity-a distillery style is fixed and improved upon, but remains constant. It is there like a fingerprint, a double helix of spirit and cask. The reality is more nuanced. Change is not just accepted, but welcomed. This is how things are: seasons, people, knowledge, understanding. To stand still is to reject natural process; it ends in you being left, fossilized, entombed in rock. Rather, and appropriately enough in this setting, you have to move with the wind in the pines.

[Shaun Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about craftsmanship, and whether or not Japanese whisky is “uniquely Japan”. Broom starts by asking these question, takes you on a road trip to meet the makers of fine whisky and other crafted items, and winds up offering you the answers he found along the way.

The writing is great - somewhat essay-style, dense and rich. A few typos, but felt more like a “rush to print” type thing. Photos are gorgeous - dark, saturated, often monochrome overcast skies as backgrounds.

Polished off a bottle of Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky while reading. Finished the book out at Cabin 7 at Opal Creek, while (mostly) listening to Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino... with a little of Beck’s Colors thrown in.

[Cristhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

*chef kiss*
Más que un libro de whisky es un libro de viaje con propósito y eso lo hace doblemente bello.

[Jigs Alonzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this travelogue, Dave Broom visits different Japanese whisky distilleries to investigate the philosophy and nature of Japanese whisky.

As someone who is into whisky and knows about the technical aspects of whisky production, I found that Broom’s experiences and reflections were delightful to read. He gave magnificent insights on Japanese whisky-making against the backdrop of Japanese culture and craftsmanship. Giving an almost reverent sense of attention to the Japanese perspective, Broom uses a relaxed pace in his writing, one that engenders a lovely sense of quaintness. Clearly, he wanted to eschew efficiency and, in doing so, take readers along the same type of journey he had.

The book has relevant drawbacks, too. I also feel that those who are not familiar with whisky or the spirits industry might struggle with the jargon Broom uses. He also makes references - some quips, others academic - that feel either unnecessary or difficult to appreciate. There are moments when I found myself bored or deliberately skipping through details I felt I didn't need to know.

For better or worse, the book demands engagement - the same disposition that Broom argues is one of the key elements of the Japanese craft-making ethos. Sometimes, it can draw readers into the heart of his discoveries in Japan, but other times, it might lead them to wonder whether reading the book continues to be worthwhile.

[Alla Polyakova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely inspiring and has made me fall in love with Japanese culture even more, which I didn't think would be possible.

[Amos Yeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant journey into Japanese whisky and culture. Great photography too.

[Marc Antomattei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me say at the outset. This book is a memoir and reads utterly different from the others I reviewed. It’s a more narrative diary on Japan than a hardcore whisky book. If you’re into Japanese culture or a Japanophile, this is for you. I think it could have been organized so much better. The categorial green pages (you’ll understand when you read it) should have been grouped together, and the whisky reviews grouped together. Instead, they are spliced in what feels like randomly with the core writing (the journal).

At times, the book tries too hard to go out of its way to be intentionally Japanese by using as many Japanese words as possible (shinkansen, maiko, shokunin, kaizen, haiku). And then explain them in English just for the sake of. In the back, there’s a glossary of unassociated beginner’s Japanese. Words like okonomiyaki, onigiri, onsen, and more. What has any of that to do with Japanese whisky? There’s no correlation. The tone is set when you open the book and see the author sitting half-lotus style on an old wood floor in front of a shōji screen and doors. I just did a facepalm because it felt too bougie and cliché for me. But I get it, visitors to Japan are so caught up and enamored by feeling, author Dave Broom probably just wants to express what he felt.

However, it was an easy, flowing read, despite my criticisms. It could be argued that the photos are the best part. They are beautifully taken and feature deep contrast and a washed-out style.