Triple Twist: Apothecary Part X

Super-Cubi (Trinary Box) by Hiroshi Iwahara

Next to A Twist of Fate is another amazing drawer, arriving all the way from Hakone Japan.  Hiroshi Iwahara is one of the well-known and highly respected artisans from the Karakuri Creation Group who has designed and produced well over fifty individual puzzle boxes with the group.  One of his earliest designs was the “Super-Cubi (Trinary Box)”, a developed version of the “Cubi” box by his mentor and Karakuri Group founder Akio Kamei.  Cubi opens via a binary set of moves, based on a “U” shaped internal mechanism.  Super-Cubi functions via a trinary system of movements, achieved with an “S” shaped internal mechanism.  It takes 324 individual moves to open, which was a new record when Iwahara created it in 2000.  He bested his own record in 2010 when he created the King Cubi, a quaternary mechanism box which requires 1536 moves to open!  For the Apothecary Chest, Iwahara shrunk the Trinary Box down significantly in size to meet the chest drawer restrictions, while maintaining its exact functioning.  It remains an incredible feat of engineering and skill, and opening the box is a satisfying exercise in focused meditation.

Trinary Motion

For Iwahara’s trinary masterpiece I wanted a cocktail with three ingredients which blended seamlessly together.  I’m a huge fan of the Negroni (and have featured many variations before) which is the ultimate three part cocktail.  The original, which you may know, includes gin, sweet vermouth and Campari.  For this version, which I call “Trinary Motion”, the gin is replaced with a fine Japanese whisky.  I’ve also swapped the Campari for its lighter and brighter sibling, Aperol.  The drink is pleasantly balanced, elegant, and smooth, with a distinctly Japanese flavor. It’s a perfect pairing with which to toast this incredible artist.

Japanese whisky puts a spin on this Negroni

Here’s to life’s unexpected twists, which add increasing complexity to the puzzle. May our fates be made richer for them.  Cheers!

A triple toast to Japan - kampei!

Trinary Motion

1 oz Japanese Whisky

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

1 oz Aperol

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass.  Garnish with an a-peeling trio.

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