Recommended this week, Onitsuka Tiger's Acromount which just dropped in India; a premium blended whisky by Suntory with a taste of all five major whisky making regions; an ode to a WWII era pilot's watch by Longines, an upcoming book on India's memorable Test series win in Australia in 2021, and Japan's Final's newest noise-cancelling earphones.
They might be steadily becoming ubiquitous and annoyingly so, but there’s no denying that Onitsuka Tigers are still highly fashionable and pretty comfortable. Take, for instance, the Acromount, which has just dropped in India.
The inspiration for the leather-and-fabric sneaker comes from spiked track shoes of the 1970s; the slim silhouette of the toe is set against the large sole, which is made of lightweight sponge and rubber; and the Onitsuka Tiger stripes, which first appeared in 1966 and adorn the upper, are appropriately oversized.
Rs 16,000; onitsukatiger.com
The Suntory Group owns some stellar brands, from Yamazaki and Hibiki to Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Roku Gin. But chances are you haven’t encountered Ao yet. Launched in 2020, the ‘world whisky’ was available only in Japan and in duty-free environments. Last month, though, the group announced the launch of the blended whisky in several countries, including Canada, Singapore and Taiwan. Ao is a ‘world whisky’ in the sense that it is made from whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, and Japan. To be more specific: Ardmore and Glen Garioch, Cooley, Jim Beam, Alberta Distillers, and Yamazaki and Hakushu. According to Suntory’s chief blender Shinji Fukuyo, Ao, which means blue in Japanese and references the oceans, “allows you to enjoy the unique characteristics of each of the five major whisky-making regions."
Rs 7,490, at the Delhi Duty Free
During WW-II, Longines manufactured a pilot’s wristwatch for the Czechoslovakian Air Force. The watch, which had a rotating fluted bezel and luminous Arabic numerals, was called the Majetek. Last week, the Swiss watchmaker, which has a deep connection with aviation, paid tribute to the doughty watch with the launch of the Longines Pilot Majetek.
The reissue’s automatic, in-house movement is housed in a 43mm cushion case and just like in the original Majetek, it features a bi-directional notched bezel that moves a triangular marker around the dial. The new Majetek is water-resistant up to 100 metres and has a 73-hour power reserve. It is available with either a green or brown leather strap, or a khaki NATO strap.
CHF3,600; longines.com
Japanese audio brand Final has a solid reputation among those who pay particular attention to their audio gear. The ZE8000, Final’s new flagship true wireless headphones, is expected to be a showpiece of their innovative approach to sound. The minimalist but luxurious earphones, the company says, are equipped with ‘sound prioritised active noise cancelling’ that does not degrade the audio in any way and feature a lightweight low distortion driver with a large 13mm diaphragm. $349
Journalist Bharat Sundaresan, who wrote a widely read, poignant article about the former West Indian fast bowler Patrick Patterson and his tragic slide into obscurity about six years ago, is all set to launch his latest book, The Miracle Makers. Co-written with broadcaster Gaurav Joshi, the book is an account of the India-Australia Test series of 2021, which saw an injury-ravaged Indian cricket team beat Australia in Australia for the second time in three years and even breach the Gabba. Sundaresan drove across Australia, following the Indian team and was the only Indian-origin journalist to cover the series live. If his track record is anything to go by, The Miracle Makers promises to be another cracker.
Rs 399, Available for pre-order on Amazon
