The New Non-Aged Yoichi (Launched Sept. 2015)

Written by Ruey of The Ruey Review
Updated 26 Jan 2016

The Yoichi single malt series by Nikka Whisky has been one of the most sought-after malts in Japan in 2015. While it had already been a well-revered Japanese whisky, the sudden spike in demand last year was mainly due to the broadcasting of Massan, a popular TV show about the Father of Japanese Whisky- Masataka Taketsuru and his wife Rita Cowan, from September of 2014 to March of 2015. Remember how we mentioned that Taketsuru also contributed albeit indirectly to the creation of Mars? This sudden surge in demand causes the the depletion of certain malt reserves within the distillery thus the discontinuation of the old Yoichi single malts the world had known until to 2015 autumn. Now the new Yoichi is a single malt under the same brand name with apparently different content than what was before September of 2015. This review is of this new version of non-aged Yoichi Single Malt.

The Yoichi distillery is the most northern whisky distillery in Japan. It is the first distillery Taketsuru founded upon his return from Scotland, also making it the first distillery of Nikka whisky. The vision he held is to create in Japan a whisky that is truly Scottish. To do that, he chose a location in Japan that most resembles the Scottish highland. Taketsuru found such a place in Yoichi, Hokkaido in northern Japan. The distillery is located at 1,500 sea level, in an area that is covered in snow during the winter and where the snow melts in the spring. Taketsuru also chose the location of his distillery to be close to a water source that is enjoyed by Ayu fish and salmon. More importantly, Yoichi allows the distillery access to coal and peat, essential to the smoky flavor Taketsuru wanted in his “True Scotch Whisky”.

Ardbeg Ten Years Old (阿貝十年)

Written by Ruey of The Ruey Review
Updated 19 Jan 2016

Since in the whisky section of this blog we want to share Eastern Whiskies with people in the West, and Western Whiskies with people of the Far East, this review of an Islay single malt will be written in Mandarin for the people of Taiwan to use as reference. This is also the first non-English post in this blog, here it goes...

Ardbeg Ten Years Old, 也就是「阿貝十年」，號稱是世界上最有泥煤味、最富煙燻味的一支威士忌。這支酒來自蘇格蘭的艾雷島產區，蒸餾廠位於島的東南海岸，而這座蒸餾廠的參觀評價也相當的高。此酒廠於西元1798年即開始產酒，曾於1981年一度面臨停廠的命運，後來得到金主支援得以重新開業。現在酒廠則隸屬格蘭傑集團，也因此間接被納入路易威登集團旗下。回到酒本身吧，因為Ardbeg的酒精濃度高達46%而且並沒有經過冷過濾的程序，所以蒸餾廠認為，這款酒可說是完全保留住單一純麥所應該有的最原始、最完整的味道與層次。

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Reviewed by Danny the Demented
Updated Jan 12 2015

Since the glory days dated way back between 1977~1983 with the much revered original trilogy (A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi) , the Star Wars franchise got hauled over the coals, fairly or unfairly, after the release of the notorious prequel trilogy between 1999~2005 (Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith). Now, 30+ years later, George Lucas’ space opera is re-introduced by J.J. Abrams of the Lost/Star Trek-reboot fame. Finally it is here, the 7th film in the Star Wars saga: The Force Awakens (2015).

To avoid spoiling anything for you, my royal reader of none, I will refrain from writing about the synopsis like I always do. But this review WILL contain spoilers, so proceed with caution. Basically tread forward like the Night-fox did when he stole the egg in Ocean’s 12. Remember the laser-field? Ahh forget it you youngsters, remember nothing.  

To review this movie turned out to be much more complex than I originally thought it’d be. We must separate Star Wars the cultural phenomenon and Star Wars the 7th movie to properly evaluate each’s significance. Unnecessary to do so you say? This is why I am the pretentious self-proclaimed movie critic and you are not.

Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Whisky

Written by Ruey of The Ruey Review
Updated 05 Jan 2016

Mars Iwai Tradition Blended Whisky 720ml 40% is a Japanese blended Whiskey. The blend comes from both malt and grain, and it is distilled at Japan’s highest distillery, located in a mountain range of Nagano, at 798 meters.The Mars distillery was originally founded in Kagoshima before it moved to Nagano.

This blend is named after Kiichiro Iwai. He is a mentor of Masataka Taketsuru. As a 14 year senior graduated from the same technical school, Iwai brought Taketsuru into the same brewery, then became his mentor in the company. Along with others in management, Iwai sent Taketsuru to Scotland to learn the art of whisky-making. As the first Japanese to learn the art, Taketsuru returned to Japan and presented a whisky-making report- the Taketsuru Notes- to Iwai. Taketsuru later went on to found Nikka Whisky, and then created Suntory Whisky. Years after that Iwai founded Mars Shinshu distillery with Taketsuru’s notes. As the mentor of The Father of Japanese Whisky, Iwai is referred to by some as The Silent Pioneer of Japanese Whisky.

KAVALAN Whisky Distillery

Written by Ruey of The Ruey Review
Updated 01 Jan 2016



How appropriate it is for us to begin a new section here for the Ruey Review on the first day of a brand new year. While Ruey is no expert in Spirits, and is alcohol intolerant, he is nevertheless fascinated by the history, the making, and the tastes of whiskies. We wish to share with you our joy in exploring this popular subject and will start this journey with a visit to the most well-known whisky distillery in Taiwan, which produces the famous Kavalan whisky. 

Kavalan, meaning “flatland”, is the old name for the great plain of Yilan county, northeastern Taiwan. This name not only belongs to the land, but also the aborigines who inhabited in the area, the Kavalan people. Today, the Kavalan name also belongs to the prestigious single malt whisky.

The King Car Distillery that produces Kavalan whisky was named at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition the 2015 distillery of the year.

Rare Exports (2010)

Reviewed by Danny the Demented
Updated Dec 29 2015

Holiday season is yet again upon us. Rather than the mainstream Ho-Ho-Ho Santa with a belly full of jelly story, I urge children and adults of all ages to treat themselves to a different look at the man on the sleigh. An unique take on the man behind all the elf-laboured toys, and interestingly, a very applicable example of finding re-employment after involuntary termination (what? yeah what is right). Suffice to say , this is not going to be your ordinary Christmas tale. I, the expert of nothing, present to you: Rare Exports (2010).

Rare Exports is a Finnish film by writer/director Jalmari Helander. A re-telling of an age-old tale: a drilling team funded by a mysterious American scientist/anthropologist (?) started digging at a nearby mountain next to the homes of a group of reindeer herders. After using considerable means to get the “sample” that they wanted, strange events started to happen in the village and caused the herders to suffer significant financial damage. While the herders are convinced that it is the American who is responsible for their financial woes, the son of one of the locals, Pietari, (Onni Tommila ) knew better. A precocious child, Pietari investigates and realizes that their enemy isn’t the American, but a force much more ancient and far more sinister than the world knows it to be.

The Best Offer

Reviewed by Danny the Demented
Updated Dec 04 2013

A masterful job of storytelling through the cinematic lens. Unfortunately, the story told really just isn't worthy of such delicate care. Beautiful plate serving a mundane entree, wasted opportunity. 

The Best Offer is the latest work by the Academy Award winning director Giuseppe Tornatore. It tells the story of a well-respected but lonely connoisseur named Virgil Oldman (Geoffrey Rush) who runs an auction house. Though Oldmand is Greatly revered in his field, it is not beneath him to use unethical means to procure master paintings with his partner in crime Billy Whistler (Donald Sutherland). One day he is contacted by a mysterious woman named Claire Ibbetson (Sylvia Hoeks) who wishes to sell her inherited collection of antiques & art works but can't meet Oldman because of her agoraphobia. With the help of a young mechanic (Jim Sturgess), Oldman begins to form a relationship with Claire and his world is subsequently and ruthlessly turned upside-down.