Blog — Page 137 of 282

What’s Sumatra With You? – Suntory Boss Coffee

I remember the first time I touched down in Japan. Apart from the feeling you get as soon as you exit your plane, i.e. that you have entered a fantastic alien universe, I felt like I was being watched.

Watched by Tommy Lee Jones as he mug graced the Boss Coffee campaign of the omnipresent advertisement across Tokyo. Needless to say that as a coffee addict, I eventually had to try it and it became a staple to stay caffeinated while touring Japan.

Suntory might only be known to you for its whiskey range outside the land of the rising sun, but their iced coffee range has become more than a mere exercise in branching out outside their spirits-centric portfolio since it was launched in 1992 with more than six hundred cans consumed per minute in its home country.

If you are familiar with Japanese emissions, you would not be surprised that utmost attention is paid to the production of the 237-millilitre recyclable can which contains135 milligrams of caffeine, slightly less than the average doppio.

Launching the cans in Australia should be an interesting exercise as Australians love and pride themselves on their hot caffeinated beverages and it remains to be seen how it will be picked up.

I for one prefer a freshly brewed coffee, however, when on the go, a can of flash-brewed Boss – which comes as in iced long black and iced latte varieties – has become a welcome alternative, especially the former.

The flash-brew process allows for the rich aromas of freshly brewed black gold to be captured as the liquid emission is chilled down in second, which results in a complex and subtly nuanced flavour experience that a lot of competitors lack.

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photo from company website

If nothing else and no matter if you like whisk(e)y, this series should have gotten you excited about not only the big-ticket Australian spirit emissions, but especially about the more boutique-y offerings away from what is forced down your hatch by the mainstream industry.

Every now and then when I naively think I’ve covered most, one pops up seemingly out of nowhere that enriches the spirit centric landscape.

Case in point – the launch of the new rye whiskey range called “The Gospel”. 

Created by founders Ben Bowles and Andrew Fitzgerald created the range’s first drop, a Solera Rye, which is based on a solid foundation of locally sourced Australian ingredients but made in the tradition of American tried and tested distilling.

Ben and Andrew have previously dabbled in the making of moonshine and moving on to rye whiskey seems to have been a natural progression, which makes sense giving rye’s recent surge in popularity.

The evolution of The Gospel took four years has been in the making for four years, a time which saw many challenges for the brand from sourcing the grains to the distillate in their self-built homebase.

Upon a first sip, the solera character shines through dominantly and the fact that both American oak and Australian wine barrels were used, does not go unnoticed and adds depth, complexity and a taste experience that offers much more than the relatively short maturation period would have you expect.

The palate is caressed by an interesting melange of caramel, chocolatey highlights and nuances of coffee and minty flavours. Texturally and in terms of mouthfeel, it is on the oilier side of things and the there is a spicy twist to overarching sweet rye character, which keeps things interesting.

Clocking in at 42.5%, the Gospel’s Solera Rye is a near perfect entry level rye that offers something for something for both the aficionado as well as the newbie and especially for the maturation in The Gospel’s solera system makes it a must for anyone who has a weak spot for red wine and wants to enter spirits territory.

I like my spirits neat and sipped but it does take a lot of imagination to see how it would marry perfectly well with ginger ale and other additions.

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Image from company website

In Vino Veritas – Ninth Island and Norfolk Rise

For this instalment of our vino centric series we are going to zero in on Tasmania again as the previous instalment of Kreglinger and Pipers Brook has piqued my interest:

The Northern part of Tasmania is home to the estate of Ninth Island – a windswept tiny island in the Bass Strait. Being a truly Tasmanian brand with a boutique-y character, its portfolio won me over from the get-go, specifically their Riesling with its expertly calibrated balance between acidity and sweetness.

Resting on a solid apple foundation, the palate is tickled by nuances of lime, citrussy sweetness and almond meal flavours. The fact that the flavour profile is punctuated with an idiosyncratic mineral tartness and muskiness adds an interesting edge and the crisp finish makes it dangerously more-ish.

One can tell that Ninth Island’s careful approach to harvesting plays an integral role as juice oxidation is avoided and varietal flavours and aromas are preserved and amplified, which results in an omnipresent freshness.

If you remotely followed this series, you’d know that I harbour a weak spot for sparkling wine.

Ninth Island’s vivacious Tasmanian Sparkling NV, which was made with the classic secondary fermentation method and aged for one year before release is a wonderful exercise in

Another favourite is Ninth Island Pinot Noir 2018. The second it hits the roof of my mouth I am serenaded by a melange of cherries, pomegranate, cranberries and mulberries, which is given additional depth and dimension with the backdrop of chocolate-y spiciness.

The mouthfeel is textured and the claviature that is played in terms of flavours on the palate ranges from sweet via rich tannins to an elongating finish that harks back to the berry fruits is started with. A well-rounded drop.

Change of location and pace, yet no change when it comes to the quality Kreglinger has become known as a benchmark for:

Norfolk Rise Vineyard is based in Southern Australia east of Adelaide, where it commenced operations in the coastal hills twenty years ago to produce cool climate wines influenced by the unique local microclimate and soil, the specific make-up of which is represented in their wines.

An example par excellence for this is their Shiraz, which finds its nutrients in the rich local terra rossa limestone soils before the grapes are harvested and fermented in small batches, which results in fulminant fruity flavours accentuated by tannins that are omnipresent yet never overwhelming. The fact that for the twelve-month maturation of the wine, French oak barriques are used, allows for the integration of the great complexity of flavours.

If you are looking for a fantastic Australian wine without breaking the bank yet with all the bells and whistles more prestigious wine houses are known for.

The floral, exuberantly juicy (think blackberries being married with cherry) and at times spicily cocoa notes result in a well-calibrated medium bodied Norfolk Rise Shiraz that should be a go to and the vintage after elegant vintage the quality has been kept at exceedingly high levels.

Both Ninth Island and Norfolk Rise Vineyard complete the triumvirate of Kreglinger’s portfolio, with each of the constituents bringing an idiosyncratic DNA to the table yet contribute to a varied yet consistent that makes the whole more than the mere sum of its individual parts.

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Photos from company websites

Punk Reader - Research Transmissions from the Local and the Global

The University of Chicago Press

It has been more than forty years since the inception of punk – a statement that holds true no matter if you think that the cradle of the movement was in the United Kingdom or the East Coast of the new world – and it can be universally agreed on that scenes have popped up as a result even in the most remote of locations, with each incarnation  having its own idiosyncrasies.

What this borderline scientific tome does is the examination of how punk relates to globalization and how it has contributed to how punk morphed from what it was to what it is perceived to be these days taking into consideration that new epicentres have constantly been added to the mix.

The special thing about punk is that its DIY ethos has immensely helped via a myriad of media to spread the message and help recruit new enthusiasts that in turn added the DNA of their local contexts into the ever-growing movement through hybridisation and assimilation.

What is skilfully made a case for is that globalization does not destroy localities but helps them thrive and that youth culture is a main vehicle for transformation that then will eventually pervade other aspects of society and both expand and change the DNA of what it started out as.

What all of this culminates in is that cultural developments almost always go both ways and what incubators played an integral role on punk scene evolving in more off the grid locales.

Conjurer + Earth Moves and Armed For Apocalypse

KIFF, Aarau, Switzerland

Conjurer's rise has been one that seems particularly fast with the band making huge strides in only three years of existence. However, it’s been as much a case of working hard as being in the right place, at the right time and tonight’s performance shows just how far they have come since the first time this writer saw them in the winter of 2016 supporting Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Back then they were a band showing promise and in 2019 they are clearly a band who are ready to make the next leap in their career. It’s been wonderful to watch over the last few years and excitement is high (personally) despite the somewhat lacklustre attendance from the Swiss scene. 

No matter, because Armed For Apocalypse open the show as though they are playing to hundreds and the American trio bring the energy in the small room up several steps in the short time they are on stage before making way for Earth Moves and their emotionally heavy sound. Straddling sludge, post-rock, hardcore and a dark edge, Earth Moves are soon to release their second record, Human Intricacy and tonight they showcase plenty of new songs alongside their older material. Fronted by Jordan Hill, the band exude a presence that explores fragility and strength through this voice, which moves from soaring cleans and guttural roars to spoken word sadness with sublime ease.

Their set is one coloured with anguish and pain yet a small light of hope does shine through on occasion, giving a lift to songs that could otherwise be seen as wallowing. Closing with a beautifully rendered “Pia Mater,” Earth Moves bring everything they have to the fore; Hill screams without a microphone, the tightly controlled guitars soar and deftly precise drum-work in the closing moments bring about a rush of sadness so profound that for this attendee, it all becomes a little too overwhelming. 

It’s up to Conjurer, then, to bring about a mood shift and damn, that mood is lifted from despair into hopeful elation within the opening moments. As 2018s Mire proved, the quartet are able to move from sludgy soundscapes into post-metal beauty with naught but a breath and tonight their performance takes the band to a whole new level. The light show alone is spectacular and the twin vocals of Dan Nightingale and Brady Deeprose are powerful in their execution, both bringing weight to their words with roars and screams. Guitars allow tension and release in equal measure and so “Of Flesh Weaker Than Ash” breathes with suspense while “Hollow” gives quieter moments space to surrender to the narrative.

Conjurer have always had an engaging dynamic and their stage presence has grown exponentially over the years; they don’t give you any opportunity to look away and for the time they are on stage your entire focus is on their energy. They give everything to their music and tonight the small crowd shows their appreciation whenever possible, particularly during the monumental closing moments of “Hadal,” a track which ends the evening on thrillingly crushing guitars and vocals that seem born of pain. It’s electrifying and a moment that shan’t be forgotten.