Asia Batch Strength Tour Update: The First Leg

Back on the road again! Taking The Batch Strength Tour to some new parts of the world. After a cancelled train, a broken suitcase and a delayed flight I finally landed in Japan with a bag full of Batch Strength t-shirts, Kilchoman tweed, a few samples and a couple of 12 foot flags… The tour kicked off in Fukuoka at a very busy tasting and where I was treated to my first experience of authentic Japanese food, before a short drive to Bar Coda for some Batch Strength highballs and a very competitive game of rock, paper, scissors for a cask strength sample of the new 100% Islay release!

Almost recovering from the jet lag, I hosted a trade seminar for some bar and shop owners before getting on my first ever bullet train to Kobe where we visited some phenomenal whisky bars. The bars in Japan were like nothing I had seen before. From the outside they looked like we were walking into a small house but open the door and you will see floor to ceiling collections of some incredible whiskies.

Kicking things off in Kobe with another trade seminar, and the most spectacular view overlooking the city, really making me realise what a small little corner of the world I live in. We then headed to Bar Cask for two back-to-back seated tastings hosted by myself and our very own Japanese Kilchoman Ambassador – Mr Maekawa, who was in charge of translating my complicated Scottish explanation into an understandable Japanese one and also making Machir Bay highballs!

We made our way to Kyoto for one night to host a tasting at Bar Bacchus as well as visit the incredible Kiyomizu Temple. We then headed to our final stop on the tour which was of course Tokyo! Some more delicious Japanese food was eaten as well as some delicious whisky for my last event in Japan before reluctantly leaving and finding every excuse as to why I had to come back.

The tour then took me to Taiwan where I was met with the outer bands of a typhoon. I have never seen rain like it and that is a big statement coming from someone who grew up on Islay. Although as quickly as it came it left again and we were back to regular 35 degrees and sunny. I got the train down to Kaohsiung, so I spent the whole time admiring the beautiful Taiwanese scenery before starting things off with three 1-hour long sessions at a variety of liquor stores.

With a small shop up first we had to improvise, hosting the first tasting using tables and chairs outside on the street, which was definitely one of the most unique setups for a tasting but allowed a lot of people passing by to join in and ended up being very well attended. I thought this might be the way forward back home until reality hit and hosting a tasting in Scotland on the street at night may not be quite as enjoyable…

We moved further north to Taichung where I was joined by Anthony Wills for two of the tastings as I was heading back home the next day and he was continuing the tour in Taiwan. A great start to the Batch Strength Tour in Asia and two incredible countries that I had the pleasure of visiting and chatting all things Kilchoman!

To find out where else you can come and visit us as we travel through Asia click here

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