Water of life is a collaboration between Tatsuya Minagawa of The Highlander Inn, Kelvin Low of The Elysian Whisky Bar and Chris Ross of The Whisky List. Available 18 April @ 7pm AEST and featured in the Drinks With Highlander Inn: Breakeven Virtual Tasting on 18 April @ 6pm AEST, along with two other new releases from Highlander Inn, the 24yo Single Cask Glen Elgin (annual Highlander Inn release) and the Oishii Gureen Wusukii 14yo Single Cask Single Grain!

The idea came to life with Kelvin and Chris discussing the quality of the whisky Tatsuya releases. They dreamed of having Tatsuya pick a whisky cask just for Australia, and found the perfect excuse for it - the 4th Anniversaries of both The Whisky List and The Elysian Whisky Bar in early 2021.

They discussed this idea with Tatsuya, who loved the concept and began searching for a very special cask. Within just a few weeks, Tatsuya had found what is now known as The Water of Life, a 23 year old Blended Malt Scotch Whisky from the 3 main single malt distilleries of the William Grant & Sons portfolio. 

This whisky could be called an Aldunie, which is essentially a teanspooned Kininvie, however, it is actually a marriage of malt mainly from Kininvie but also including Glenfiddich and Balvenie.

Be first to try and/or buy this release at the Drinks With Highlander Inn: Breakeven Virtual Tasting on 18 April @ 6pm AEST, or purchase on 18 April @ 7pm AEST through The Whisky List or The Elysian Whisky Bar. The tasting will include two previous releases, the 23yo Clynelish and 21yo Secret Orkney along with 2 other new releases, the 24yo Single Cask Glen Elgin (annual Highlander Inn release) and the Oishii Gureen Wusukii 14yo Single Cask Single Grain! Get tickets here!

The label artwork was created by a good friend of Kelvin’s, artist Junko Azukawa. Junko Azukawa grew up in Toyama, Japan at the base of the central Japanese Alps, a region famous for the natural beauty of its landscape.

She started learning traditional Japanese calligraphy at the age of five and has experienced the vast possibilities that Japanese ink painting can express with just simple brush strokes.

After becoming a resident of Melbourne, Australia in 2005, Junko started teaching and performing Japanese calligraphy and painting at numerous schools and organisations and also exhibited at galleries in Australia and Japan. One of her artwork is now in the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection. She is also sought after in commercial design work for her skillful brushwork from bottle label, package design and book illustrations to restaurant mural.

Junko Azukawa

www.junkoazukawa.com

www.facebook.com/junkoazukawa

www.instagram.com/junkoazukawa

Tatsuya Minagawa

Tatsuya Minagawa was born in Yamagata, Japan in 1969. He began working behind the bar at the age of 18 and learned his craft from various well-respected bar owners in his home country. He was 29 years old when he first travelled to Scotland, living and working in the capital city of Edinburgh for 4 years.

He is now the owner of The Highland Inn, with locations in Craigellachie, Tokyo and Chichibu, and releases annual and special bottlings that are highly sought after.