Japan, European contact, and cultural appropriation

Just finished reading The Company and the Shogun: The Dutch Encounter with Tokugawa Japan by Adam Clulow. It's a fascinating book that delves into the history of the VOC's interactions with Tokugawa Japan from the early 17th century till the mid-18th century, though the bulk of the events covered belong to the earlier half of the 17th century.

The general narrative is one that details the inability of the Dutch VOC to impose itself upon the Tokugawa shogun. Against a fairly strong regime that had just unified Japan, the VOC was not able to project sufficient force to intimidate the Japanese, and was unable to impose its interpretations of international law (especially the law of the sea that Grotius came up with) upon the Japanese courts. What resulted was a series of retreats from the Company's stated powers. This book discusses, therefore, the "taming" of the Dutch by the Japanese, even to the extent where the Japanese were able to parade Dutch gifts as tribute, incorporating the Dutch into the Tokugawa regime's display of power.

In the larger story of imperialism, Clulow argues that this account helps to nuance our understanding of the earlier years of European activity in Asia. Instead of the "I came, I saw, I conquered" narrative that was perhaps more applicable in America, European expansion in Asia in the 16th to 18th century was fraught with setbacks and negotiations that were dependent upon the relative power balance between European and Asian states. It tempers impressions of European self-confidence, and highlights how European ideas of law and trade had to negotiate for a space in the Asian legal thought world.

Whisky, however, came to Japan in a very different time. If Clulow's book covered the time period where the Japanese were more self-assured, whisky was produced in Japan in a time where the Japanese were seeking to learn from the Europeans, and to join the ranks of world powers. Taketsuru, the founder of Japanese whisky, did his apprenticeship in Scotland before returning to Japan to begin making Japanese whisky. He first started Suntory, before leaving the company to found Nikka.

Is this cultural appropriation? Is imitation the best form of flattery? Some argue that the apprentice has, today, eclipsed the master, and Japanese whisky is "better" than the traditional scotches. I don't agree, but market forces are leaning in favour of the Japanese, at least here in Singapore. Whatever it is, Japanese whisky is here to stay, an inheritance from a time where the Japanese were seeking to be more like the West, unlike the Japan that the VOC found itself negotiating with in the 17th Century. Would this be politically correct? Can the Japanese make whisky? Is it actually better? I, for one, don't think there's anything wrong with cultural appropriation - that's the point of cultural contact anyway.

Miyagikyo NAS (abv 45%)

Colour - gold

Nose - Very fruity. Plums and peaches. A little hint of hawthorn, and slightly spicy. Very slight...A suggestion of sherry and raisins, but rather faint. Sweet, on...milk chocolate and apples. Fresh, bright apples. Some flower pollen. Not much. Just some.

Palate - A little alcohol burn...no, quite a bit of burn. Ouch. Something a little sooty in this, surprisingly. Did I pour the Yoichi by mistake? No, this is Miyagikyo. Bitter, almost soot-like, but after a while, the bitterness feels more herbal than peat. Spicy on nutmeg and pepper, Chinese "five-spice" powder. Oaky and nutty. Can't shake that bitter note that reminds me of burnt herbs. Floral on the palate too, which I didn't get much of on the nose. Tannins - dried apple rind, I think. The more this lingers on, the more I'm convinced that the herbs are burnt and I'm getting smoke and, dare I say, ash. A fair amount of alcohol burn still.

Finish - The bitterness lingers. Mm. Not really liking that bitter note of ash and burnt herbs. Something caramel-y too. Burnt sugar.

With water - I added quite a lot of water to this incrementally, but the alcohol burn remains. The flavour profile hasn't changed, though the ashes have been toned down. A little creaminess now. More spices on the finish - pepper and ginger, with smoke as a nice lingering note, rather than right in your throat. Becomes quite drying, which is something I always find ironic - why does water make the whisky feel drier? Amazing chemistry. Water helps, but I added quite a lot. Almost 1 part water to 2 parts whisky.

Overall - Well. More cultural appropriation than assimilation and mastery, I think. This Miyagikyo isn't really to my liking, and I feel that the NAS is missing a bit of maturity that would have helped to bring up the fruit and oak while taming the alcohol. The ash was a surprising find, as I had thought that the Miyagikyo was supposed to be fruitier, but I'm not sure if I like the ash and burnt stuff in this. Doesn't seem well-integrated into the whole. Water works, but still doesn't tame the burn, so that's an un-integrated alcohol as well. Hmm. Flavours are nice enough, but I'm not sure it warrants putting up with the burn.

Quick impressions on the Miyagikyo 15, Glendronach 18 Allardici, Springbank 10, Laphroaig Triple Wood, Laphroaig 15 (tasted at Auld Alliance)

Went to Auld Alliance with a couple of friends, and these were what we tried on the night. With so many different flavours, I'm sure my tongue was desensitized to some of the flavours, and might have gotten some of them wrong. If you want to try stuff, head to Auld Alliance. It's one of the best whisky bars in Singapore, with a huge collection - the menu is 74 pages. Great collection of Japanese whiskies too, though many of the rare malts command a pretty penny. The managers of the bar love whisky, and are really knowledgeable about the market and the drinks. They're glad to chat if the bar's not too busy.

Miyagikyo 15 - It's been announced that production for aged Miyagikyos will be put on hold, and stock is dwindling around the world. This has driven prices up, up and away, out of reach of most normal consumers. Thus, when I found out that the Auld Alliance was selling it at $30 per glass, I took it as an opportunity to try something I'll probably never buy.

Nose: Some fruit comes up first. Deeper inhalations, and it feels like unripe bananas. Some flowers in there. Lavender? Not certain. A little nutty, sweet malt, some grass, and oak. Nothing that really stands out per se, fairly well balanced on the whole.

Palate: Well-balanced, but again, nothing really stands out. Same things on the palate as on the nose, with the addition of some wood spice. Pleasant.

Finish: Medium-short. Spice, a little bit of the fruit lingers.

Pleasant, but there's no way I'm paying current market price for a bottle of this.

Glendronach 18 - A sherry bomb. Not ranked as highly as the 15 Revival, but reviews still seem pretty good.

Nose: Rich raisins.

Palate: Initial burst of raisins, then it becomes somewhat leathery, rubbery, nutty, and a little bit of spice to keep the flavours interesting. The body isn't as heavy. Pretty smooth. A good whisky, though the sherry fruits are a little shy.

Finish: Some spice, wood, a little rubbery.

Not too bad, but I won't be ditching the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask for this.

Springbank 10 - I loved it.

Nose - Something a little industrial. A little antiseptic, a little salty, machine oil, suggestions of peat, grass, and sweet.

Palate: Grassy and refreshing. The peat is light, and comes in waves, serving to refresh the palate to find new flavours after each wave of peat. Sweet. Did this spend time in a bourbon cask? A little salty, which weirdly works well with the industrial-like thing.

Finish: Not long, but the peat, sweetness and refreshing grass goes down well. Refreshing. This is getting me excited for my unopened Springbank 12 Cask Strength, batch 11.

Laphroaig 15 - 

Nose - Ashy, medicinal. A little...oaky? Almond. Smells sweet, though that is obscured somewhat by the ashy peat.

Palate - The peat takes over, ashy and medicinal. Not too strong a body. My friend felt that the Lagavulin 16 is much richer, and it only spent one more year in the wood than this.

Finish: Short. Ashy, a little smoke (like charcoal), a little spice, and no more.

Laphroaig Triple Wood - My friend's favourite out of his Laphroaig vertical, which included the 10 and Quarter cask as well.

Nose - More stuff going on here. Suggestions of fruit. A bourbon-like sweetness. The peat is less ashy and more medicinal, compared to the 15. Oak is present. Not that many new flavours, but this one is layered better, I feel.

Palate - I probably am wrong, but I think my first impression was that of jack fruit. Sweetness and peat finds a nice balance in this one. Medicinal, and a little spicy. A bit of nut and rubber. After tasting this, I guessed that the three woods are Bourbon, sherry, and probably a new cask, which made it sweeter. Checking online revealed that this whisky spent time in Bourbon, the Quarter Cask, and Oloroso. Not bad. It tastes like how it's made.

Finish - Nice balance of peat and spice. Smoke on the finish, which is nice. I tend to like light, smoky finishes that heavier, peaty ones. A bit like tea too. My friend says it's kinda like the drying effect of a good Oolong tea. I don't disagree.