ROUSES_JulyAug2019_Magazine

Shelves lined with Japanese whisky photo provided by Yamazaki distillery

Japanese whisky appeals to those who prefer the lighter, less smoky scotches. Suntory’s Toki whisky makes for a good entry- level Japanese whisky — it’s lighter and has an appealing touch of fruitiness as well. The Hibiki and Hakushu bottlings — as well as most Nikka whiskies — are denser with flavor, more like a long-aged scotch. Like they do with scotch, aficionados of Japanese whisky often sip the long-aged product neat, or with an ice cube or two. Until recently, Japanese marketing campaigns encouraged consumers to enjoy Hibiki and other fine whiskey in highballs — that is, to mix it with a little club soda and serve it on ice. Highballs may well be the national cocktail of Japan — bars have machines that dole them out quickly, chilled and mixed in perfect proportions. Pre-mixed highballs are widely sold in cans throughout Japan, and you can see salarymen sipping them in bars and on commuter trains. As demand for aged whisky has swelled and supplies have diminished, consumers have been switching to lighter, easier-to-find whiskies, such as Suntory Whisky Toki, in their highballs. “Toki can work with any style of drink,” says brand ambassador Miyamoto, “but especially in highballs.” Japanese whisky has a koan-like quality: It’s new. Also, it’s old. That is, it’s relatively new to the American market, but has been made for nearly a century. It was inspired by scotch, but over time has taken the traditional approaches of the West and added elements of the East, resulting in a product that offers the best of two worlds. Those who enjoy sampling a range of whiskey — scotch from the Highlands, Speyside and Islay; bourbon from Kentucky and beyond — have a new adventure awaiting.

Rouses Market, Gulf Coast "Our Hawaiian Poke (pronounced POH-keh) is essentially a build-your-own Hawaiian sushi bowl that starts with sushi rice or greens as a base. You can add already-marinated chunks of raw fish and/ or fully cooked shrimp and snow crab; seaweed and cucumber salad; and toppings and sauces inspired by Hawaiian and Japanese flavors. My wife and I visited Hawaii in 2013 for our fifth anniversary. Of course we ate poke. I also dragged her to the very romantic fish market on the Big Island so I could bid on some opah (moonfish) for Rouses. (Despite that, we’re still married.) We had it shipped directly to the stores." - James, Fresh Foods

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