The Macallan Masters of Photography Features Japanese Artist Daido Moriyama

To celebrate Japanese photographer Daido Moriyama and acknowledge his contribution to the art of photography, The Macallan will launch The Macallan Masters of Photography: Capsule Edition: Daido Moriyama – Remix, Remixed.

This limited edition offering of only 500 bottles, exclusive to Asia Travel Retail, features a remix of Daido Moriyama work from his renowned book of the same name “Remix” along with some other specially selected material. Each specially bound book, which includes a series of inspired French fold pages, has been hand signed by the photographer himself. The aim was to showcase his impactful style by bringing it to a wider audience, pairing it with a one-off cask strength single malt Scotch whisky from The Macallan.

The whisky chosen by The Macallan’s Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno brings alive the subtleties of the photographers work. Matured in a first fill sherry seasoned oak cask (cask no. 15,245), the whisky is indulgent and sumptuous, and showcases the dark character of The Macallan (58.9% ABV). Measuring 75 on The Macallan colour scale this is one of the darkest single casks ever released and is priced at $1,750 (USD).

Ken Grier, Director of Malts at Edrington, commented: “We took our inspiration for this capsule edition of The Macallan Masters of Photography following an exclusive event by Daido Moriyama, supported by The Macallan at The Tate Modern, entitled ‘Menu’. 350 guests gathered and selected their personal menu of Daido Moriyama’s photographs which were then bound into a silk screened book cover and signed by Daido.

“This made such an impression that we were moved to further celebrate his work by creating a very distinctive limited edition. We felt passionately about capturing Moriyama’s challenging perspective and style. His influence over the photographic world in both Japan and the rest of the world has been profound and we’re relishing marking his life and work with this latest release.”

Tasting Notes: Daido Moriyama – Remix, Remixed (58.9% ABV)

Colour: Darkest cherry

Nose: Opulent and intense. The cask shows its darker side. Raisin, fig, date and clove are the heavyweights of the group supported by ripe apple, black cherry, chocolate, ginger and resinous wood.

Palate: Viscous, orange peel, citrus oil. Ginger, wood spices and clove. Treacle shows later with a depth of sweetness then bitter chocolate

Finish: Long and warming

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a whisky enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

New Japanese TV Series About Whisky Distillery

Wanted: A female aged 25 to 40 who grew up in the West and boasts a better than average singing voice. The opening is for an actress to play the heroine in a new NHK morning drama.

It will be the first time the broadcaster will have a non-Japanese play the female lead in the legendary 15-minute time slot that starts at 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday, NHK spokeswoman Kaori Fujieda said in Osaka.

The upcoming series will be titled “Massan,” and will be about a Scottish woman who married a Japanese trying to start a whiskey distillery during the Taisho Era early in the 20th century.

The morning slot has entertained the nation for more than five decades. Its leading female roles have been the springboard for a number of young actresses’ careers, including Ayako Kobayashi, whose “Oshin” series has been aired in more than 60 countries.

Each series runs about 150 episodes over six months. “Massan” is to air from next September to March 2015. The current series “Gochisosan” ends next March and will be followed by “Hanako to An” before “Massan” starts.

The story will be set in a time when whiskey was little known in Japan. The heroine will meet Massan, the son of a sake brewer, in Scotland, follow him to Japan and marry him at a time when international couples were a rarity. She learns the language and local manners, lives as a Japanese and supports her husband and his employees at the distillery he establishes in Hokkaido.

Spokeswoman Fujieda said NHK is asking domestic and overseas talent agencies to hunt for female candidates aged 25 to 40 who grew up in Western society. The network “basically” wants a Caucasian, but is open to a half-Japanese — or even three-quarters Japanese, if she is qualified, Fujieda said.

Experience won’t be a requirement, but someone confident in her singing is desirable, as Scottish folk songs sung by the couple will be a key element of the drama, Fujieda said.

The screenplay will be written by Daisuke Habara, known for his work on films such as “Pacchigi!” (“Break Through!”) and “Hula Girls.”

The drama will be based on the life of Masataka Taketsuru, the pioneering whiskey maker from Hiroshima Prefecture who strove to make the first Japanese whiskey at what is now Suntory Holdings Ltd. in Kyoto and later founded what is now Nikka Whisky Distilling Co.

The son of a sake brewer, Taketsuru went to Scotland in 1918 to study the art of how to make whiskey. There he met the love of his life, Jessie Roberta Cowan, known as Rita, who accompanied him back to Japan and provided him with vital support in his endeavors, according to his biography on the Nikka Whisky website.

from The Japan Times

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a whisky enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Leonard DiCaprio's Weird Japanese Jim Beam Ad

A lot of celebrities appear in advertisements overseas that you'll never see here in the United States. Here is a very strange commercial that runs in Japan featuring Leonardo DiCaprio selling Jim Beam (we think.)

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a whisky enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.