Whiskeyed in Waimea

Kaua'i's Waimea Town Celebration welcomed island locals and visitors for it's annual nine day festival on February 16 by kick starting day one with a variety of Japanese Cocktails and Cuisine at the Waimea Town Theatre.

Guests had the chance to partake in tasting different high limit Japanese Whisky flavors, two types of Sake, and several types of beer.

Jacob Lee, an O'ahu local distiller, flew in to Kaua'i to give a detailed background of not only the ranks of the high end whisky brands but talk about the specific tastes of each as well as the process in making the alcohol.

Three different Nikka Whisky brands that were featured were Gold and Gold, Taketsuru, the 12 year old premium blended Nikka whisky, 12 year old Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, the Hakushu, the 21 year old Hibiki Suntory Whisky, and 18 year old Gold Signature Chivas Regal. Some beers that were featured were non-alcoholic Ginger Beer mixed with Choya Umeshu Shiso liqueur which have red plums that sit at the bottom of the bottle, Sapporo, Asahi, and Matcha Green Tea flavored beer.

Some of the favored drinks of this event was the Taketsuru Whisky which is one of the strongest and heavier tastes from the others as well as the mixed drink of ginger beer and Choya. The Choya drink is much like a Moscow Mule, fruity and sweet but not too sweet. It was one of the first beverages to run out followed by the Taketsuru Whisky.

Lee said the exclusive Gold and Gold Nikka Whisky with the special metal Samurai covering was specifically found in the Japanese airport only. Japanese Whisky relies mostly on malted barley which is imported from Scotland and otfen peated, much like Scotch.

When it comes to making Japanese Whisky, distillers age it in large barrels for several years before officially being introduced into the world of alcohol. Temperature of the warehouse is changed and with Japan having four distinctive seasons, distillers rely on these certain techniques and ideas to make the perfect Whisky. Because Japanese Whisky takes time to be made, it's also very expensive ranging from a couple hundred dollars a bottle.

For the last five years Lee has visited several distilleries as well as tried several different profiles of liqueur which has inspired him to become a distiller.

"I started my own small distillery. I got funding for it and we're actually aging it right now," he says.

In Los Angeles while Lee lived in the city of Gardenia, he had the chance to try at least 2,000 different whiskies.

Now Lee currently resides in O'ahu, Hawaii where he continues to practice the science and art of Japanese Whisky making.