Nonjatta: August 2009

Sample of the book here

Drinking Japan is a guide to Japanese drinking culture. It has entries on some of the country's best bars, but it is also the first wide-ranging survey in English of the history and current state of Japanese alcohol, with detailed coverage not only of the well-known rice brew sake but of much less explored traditions like shochu, awamori, beer, wine, and Japanese whisky. The book ranges much more widely than this blog, and I believe it gives a much needed general context for the understanding of particular Japanese alcohols. It has been very positively reviewed by publications including the L.A. Times and The Japan Times.

For more information, take a look at the book's website.

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About this site

Nonjatta is maintained by Chris Bunting. I am a 30 something British journalist currently living in Tokyo, Japan with my wife and young son. My online resume is at chrisbunting.net. I can be contacted at japanesewhisky [at] gmail.com.

I am making a valiant effort but the task of drinking all this Japanese whisky is just too much for one man. Nonjatta has a small but growing community of outside contributors who are putting their hands to the oar. I always welcome outside input and give credit in the individual postings. Here are the top Nonjattaists:

AshDLS - A Japanese whisky fan currently living in Australia. He has spent time in Japan and has a talent for uncovering rare bottlings.

Ulf Buxrud - Author and long time fan of Japanese whisky. He published the first book in English devoted entirely to Japanese whisky in 2008.

Nicholas Coldicott - Writer for the Japan Times and numerous other publications. Knows more about the whole Japanese drinks scene than anyone I know.

Brian "Dramtastic" - Basically, Brian is becoming Nonjatta's in house reviewer. His reviewing is prodigious and the reviews are a great read. An Australian living in Brisbane and well known contributor on the Whiskymag forums. A leading advocate of Japanese whisky, converted to the cause at the famous Bar Zoetrope. Here is his scoring system.

John Hawkins - Japanese whisky quaffeur with some great tips on Tokyo's whisky bars. His website is here.

Daniel Mick - An English teacher in Gifu, Japan. Nonjatta introduction. Our man in the West.

Takeshi Mogi - An incredible gentleman who has been extremely helpful in my faltering attempts to get my head around Japanese whisky. He kept the Japanese Whisky Web (now no longer online, but it was the original Japanese Whisky website in English) . I talk about him more here.

Hasse Nilsson - Chairman of the Växjö Malt Whisky Society, one of the most active and knowledgeable whisky clubs in the world.

Nick Sikorski - Nick is a Japanese specialist and is a key figure at La Maison du Whisky of Paris, one of the two main importers pioneering Japanese whisky in Europe.

Taylor Smisson - The doyen of whisky drinking foreigners in Japan. Author of the now discontinued "Malt Drinkers Diary" and drinker of more drams than I've had hot dinners. Introduced here.

Serge Valentin - Author of the awesome Whiskyfun.com and uncrowned king of whisky blogging. Nonjatta introduction with explanation of system.

Bert Vuik - Dutch whisky enthusiast with a towering knowledge and mountainous collection of Japanese whisky (oh, and Ardbegs and Glen Gariochs too!)

Dr Whisky - Author of one of my favourite whisky blogs, drwhisky.blogspot.com.

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