New Year's Greetings

Everyone, Happy New Year! Last year had a significant event for me, transitioning from Usukeba to Sakedori, which was quite a big deal for someone not very tech-savvy. Initially, it was chaotic, but with the help of the Sakedori staff, we managed to get back on track with our usual updates. I didn't have time to summarize last year's events as I welcomed the New Year, but I do think the situation where official releases have been dominant for several years has continued. Particularly, I was amazed by the release of Laphroaig's Bicentenary. However, considering my deep affection for it, I ended up writing quite a bit about it, so I'll refrain from going further (laughs). Including Japanese-exclusive releases, Whisky One has been notably active. Distilleries like Ardnak and Kilchoman, Springbank, and Dornanck Gras have consistently brought in quality casks. Over the past few years, I've strongly felt that even with passion and cask selection skills, without results, good casks won't be sourced. Therefore, I was impressed by their efforts. Bottlers have been in a tough situation lately. Many products are priced higher than their specs, and even at high prices, there aren't many bottles that feel worth it. Amidst this, Cask Society and Whimms have released some excellent products, so I think there are still many good bottles available that you can purchase after trying them. I'll continue to keep an eye on these. Additionally, the release of 'THE WHISKY HOOP,' initiated by people closely related to me, has started, and I'm enjoying it. The organizers include notable members, but while there are many good releases, it's not possible to consistently release standout bottles immediately. I'm looking forward to more as relationships with distilleries and bottlers deepen. Personally, last year's major event was purchasing two casks from Ardnamurchi with friends. This has increased my future enjoyment. I'll report further if there are opportunities for sampling or bottling. Regarding this year, I think the dominance of official releases will continue. The domestic Scotch consumption hasn't grown much, so it's a tough situation, but I hope more good casks come into Japan. Especially Suntory, while I understand their scale isn't huge, I wish they would value the connoisseur market a bit more. They can help expand the base, and I think the base naturally expands as connoisseurs value it highly. Personally, I plan to visit Scotland with the Whisky Fools in May. It's been six years since my last visit, and I hope to see it from a different perspective. I'll try to share as much about this trip as possible. I also have the opportunity to speak directly with Sakedori's staff, and I hope we can do something interesting from a drinker's perspective. While I'm unsure how involved I'll be, I'm looking forward to it being fun. My main job is expected to become more intense, making daily updates difficult or leading to situations where I can only provide tasting notes and evaluations. Please understand if it becomes quite tough, and I appreciate your leniency. Continuing whisky tastings and this blog is my life's work, so I'll try to keep it as enjoyable as possible. With that, I hope this year is good for everyone. May you all encounter wonderful whiskies. T. Matsuki