Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/687399
6 / the tasting panel / june 2016 by Deborah Parker Wong With demand exceeding supply for Japanese whiskey*, Kikori, a new entry to the category in the U.S., is being met with enthusiasm. Kikori hails from Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu, where the Kumamoto prefecture is well known for its eponymous oysters and as the birthplace of distilled rice spirits in Japan. Kikori combines a 500-year-old tradi- tion with the 20th century history of Japanese whiskey for a versatile, umami- friendly modern rice spirit. It's produced by one of the island's oldest artisanal distilleries surrounded by ancient cypress trees and the pristine waters of the Iware River and scenic Sekinoos Falls. "There's a humble, natural beauty about this distillery set in the midst of rice paddies and cypress groves with the peaks of Mt. Azo rising in the distance," says Kikori founder Ann Soh Woods. Kikori is made using polished Higo rice that, as in saké, undergoes sac- charization with white koji for the basis of its mash. Single distillation using a low temperature, vacuum process in a stainless steel column still at 84 proof insures a lighter, unpeated-style whiskey that is reminiscent of an Irish whiskey or the maritime style found on the northeastern shore of Scotland. After aging for three to over eight years in American oak, Limousin French oak and Sherry casks, the result is a delicate, versatile style with aromas of polished rice and vanilla that delivers a subtle and long finish. In creating Kikori, Soh Woods was deeply inspired by the serenity of the woodlands in Kumamoto and by the lessons of balance and harmony found in Japanese folklore. You'll find one such folktale about the woodsman Visu, a Japanese Rip Van Winkle who was lost in the forest for centuries pursuing the balance he could not attain during his lifetime, inscribed in Kanji characters on the inside of the back label. At Nobu's high-volume Malibu, California, location, quality, consistency and speed are of paramount importance to Corporate Beverage Director Marcus Voglrieder, someone who also keeps a close eye on trends. "Retro, barrel-aged cocktails are very popular at the moment, and our twist is the Kikori barrel-aged Old Fashioned," he says. After some experimentation, Voglrieder perfected a Kikori Old Fashioned which he batches and then ages behind the bar in a neutral barrel for three to four weeks. "The barrel is a point of visual interest behind the bar, and with a 24-liter batch ready to go, there's virtually no wait time." The cocktail itself is visually interesting as well. "We chip our own ice from large blocks, which slows down the dilution and lets the Kikori pop." The cocktail, listed at $16, is a hit in Malibu as well as at Nobu locations in Los Angeles, San Diego and Waikiki. Voglrieder, who began his Nobu journey in 2000 as a bartender at Nobu London, has opened restaurants for the chain in cities around the world. After years of globetrotting to exotic destinations, he rode a wake of success that landed him in Los Angeles as Beverage Manager for the West Coast and by 2014 as Corporate Beverage Manager for the United States. "It's been a wild ride," says the 15-year veteran of the posh Japanese chain that is valued at half a billion dollars. And the end is nowhere in sight. In the coming months, Voglrieder will help open locations in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Montenegro. The global footprint of the Nobu empire not only provides him with a unique perspective on the global cocktail scene, it makes him a de facto trendsetter—and the cocktails he creates a trend. PHOTO: LYNN FYFFE Marcus Voglrieder, Corporate Beverage Director, Nobu Restaurants Nobu Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned ◗ 2 oz. Kikori Whiskey ◗ 1 tbs. Luxardo Amarascata Cherry Jam (blend and double-strain) ◗ 3 drops Angostura Bitters ◗ 1 tbs. Demerara simple syrup Double-strain the ingredients into the barrel and let it age two to three weeks; taste weekly. *Kikori Whiskey spells their Japanese whiskey with an "e."