A day before Hallowe’en, a really terrific eve was enjoyed recently by one hundred or so Liverymen and guests of the two Livery Companies of Distillers and Marketors for the fifth in the series of annual “Panel Events” – this one held at HMS President adjacent to the atmospheric lights of Tower Bridge, twinkling brightly in the dark October night. These hugely popular evenings are designed to shine a light on a spirits’ category or indeed this time a country of spirits’ origin – namely Japan. The subject at hand was titled “Will the Rising Sun Continue to Rise in 2025?”
Some classical Japanese music on arrival, served as a proper pre-text for Master Distiller Lorne MacKillop getting things off to a good start in welcoming fellow Cask group Masters, and the Minister for Financial Affairs from the Japanese Embassy in London. Then, Vicky Illankovan, CEO, of a new charity partner for the Distillers this year, ‘Equal Measures’, gave a brief but illuminating intro into her important work in enabling equality, diversity and inclusion in the drinks’ industry. Past Master Martin Riley, for the uninitiated, then gave an enthusiastic explanation of why the organising team had chosen Japan, its burgeoning success in spirits’ development – together with its exponential rise in the metropolitan areas of UK with the popularity of Japanese food outlets, restaurants, clothing, lifestyle goods, and outward tourism to Japan. He received great nods of approval for this evident focus on an over-looked country origin of provenance.
Our esteemed moderator, David Wethey, then stepped up to pose some carefully crafted questions for the expert panel comprising:
- Nick Temperley – MD UK & NI, Suntory Global Spirits
- Erika Haigh – British Sake Association, founder of Mai Sake and co-owner of Moto
- Bruce Perry – Brand Ambassador for Marussia
- Bob Burgess – past Director of Asahi UK, and lover of all things Japanese
Dwelling briefly on sake, pointedly not a spirit or wine but a drink in its own category, all the panel agreed that sake should be a choice with food on every dining table – and better still one should provide a choice of sakes! Warming to the subject, for a food pairing of choice, Bob Burgess advanced the case for nasi goreng which elicited murmurs of support from the audience. Taste buds titillated, Nick Temperley then provided a commercially-informed backdrop of the phenomenal growth of Japanese spirits – though highlighting the as-yet mere 0.25% market share of the UK whisky market. He mentioned the extraordinary care of Japanese distillers to produce quality – sharing the same focus as car-making of the last three decades in upholding ‘Kaizen’, the pursuit of maximum quality with minimum waste and drew attention to focus on ‘Monozukuri’, a work ethic that emphasizes deep knowledge, multiple skills, and a passion for achieving perfection. He would be show-casing Hibiki whisky as an exemplar of this shortly, in the bar next door!
Panel conversation moved on to ‘Brand Japan’, with audience interaction now seeking to understand from the panel how marketing products from Japan to best effect was achieved. Bruce Perry explained from a Marussia perspective that the wide choice of product availability was key to finding a launch platform, and moving on from there. All too soon, David Wethey, was drawing out the last question posed from the audience on ‘licensed’ production in UK/northwest Europe: there was a clear statement from panellists that expansion of Japanese drinks’ consumption seemed absolutely certain but, like some other well-known spirit category stipulation, production using Japanese water, making it in Japan, and remaining in Japan until bottling in Japan, would be a mainstay of future liquids’ production!
At that point, with final summarising and thanks by Past Master Riley, and a large vote of thanks to our panel, the assembled throng decanted to the bar for pre-poured cocktails of sparkling sake from Marussia, the aforementioned Hibiki whisky, Roku gin, and Toki whisky from Suntory, with Shochu spirit martinis and a special sake from Erika Haigh of Mai Sake. All paired with some excellent Far Eastern canapés, and satay pick-ups, to accompany what was for many a fleet of ‘first-time-tried’ liquids. For the cognoscenti, or the casual sampler, Marussia provided a small tasting table with an array of sakes such as Junmai, Ginjo, Honjozo and a delicious Umeshu liqueur sake.
Wending one’s way back to Tower Hill tube, in the looming shadows of the Tower of London, all the chatter in small groups was about the extraordinary experience that the evening had provided, with a better understanding that the Rising Sun would continue to rise!
Clive Bairsto, Development Director, WC Distillers
Nicola Wordsworth, WC Marketors
