WINE

It was past ten o'clock on a Thursday night when my good friend, T, suddenly called to say that she would never go out to a bar with Y again. "You know what? She actually said that I didn't know how to drink whisky in front of everyone!" T said angrily on the other end of the phone. "What did you do?" I asked, holding the phone a little further from my ear. "The bartender asked me how I would like it, and I said, 'On the rocks!' Are ice cubes really not okay? Was she more mighty to drink it straight? Come on, you be the judge!" There are a variety of ways to drink whisky. Let's take a look together to weigh the benefits and disadvantages of each.

HAVING IT STRAIGHT AND ENJOYING THE ORIGINAL FLAVOR

As the name implies, having it "straight" simply means drinking it directly without additional adding.

Whisky originated from the cold weather regions of Scotland and Ireland, where locals seldom drink alcohol with ice. Therefore, having a pure drink is the best way to enjoy the flavor the distillery originally intended for customers.

However, even having a pure drink, the liquor would taste differently at different temperatures:

The easiest way to enjoy a pure drink is to taste it directly at room temperature after pouring whisky from the wine bottle into the glass. We call this the "neat" method.

If lower temperatures are preferred, the "straight up" method consists of adding and stirring some ice cubes into the liquor before taking them out. The slightly lower temperature also reduces any burning sensations by the alcohol when consumed.

Another method called "frozen" is similar to the technique used for the frozen Gaoliang drink, which became popular in recent years. To do it, take a bottle of whisky and put it into the freezer. Since the freezing point of alcohol is lower than water, the edginess of liquor is refined by the lower temperatures, transforming into a smoother and thicker taste. When the ice-cold liquor flows along the mouth into the throat, the temperature rises and the alcohol accompanying the fragrance blooms all of a sudden in the chest in a fiery manner that exhausts the life of the liquor. This method brings an entirely different experience from that of a pure drink.

Now that you know temperature reduction can soften burning sensations when the liquid enters the mouth, you may achieve the same effect by adding ice cubes. Ordinarily, we would add small ice cubes for other beverages. Nevertheless, large ice cubes are often selected for whisky to slow the speed of ice melting. It's called "on the rocks" when whisky is served this way. One may enjoy a cooler straight-up pure drink in the beginning, as well as the gentler taste in the later stage when the liquor is diluted due to the melting of the ice.

Actually, there is a lot of information regarding how and what type of ice cubes to be added. Haruki Murakami, a celebrated literary figure known to have a love for whisky, once wrote a passage about the mystery of "on the rocks": "The single attribute of the distribution of ice cubes is enough to affect the taste and aroma of 'on the rocks'. The melting of a large chunk of ice is quite different from the melting of small ice cubes. If only large ice chunks are used, it looks harsh and ugly. Conversely, if there are too many small ice cubes, the drink soon becomes diluted and tasteless. It's important to mix the large, medium and small ice cubes just right before the whiskey is poured. This way, the whiskey would be able to flow smoothly to create a small amber swirl. However, it would take a very long time to reach such a realm..."

ADDING ICE CUBES, THE HARUKI MURAKAMI STYLE AMBER SMALL SWIRL

DRINKING WITH WATER IS NOT AS EASY AS DILUTING

HOW WOULD YOU DRINK YOUR GLASS OF WHISKY? AS LONG AS YOU ARE HAPPY!

You can drink it frozen. You can drink it with ice. So, you can, of course, drink it with water. Adding water will reduce the alcohol concentration so the taste isn't so spicy. Also, water can envelop the alcohol to release its unique aroma. Many judges of international spirits competitions have shared how they would add a few drops of water in the glass to allow whisky to bloom fully in the shortest time frame.

Speaking of drinking with water, the most well-known is the "Mizuwari" method unique to Japanese whisky connoisseurs. The Mizuwari or water-cutting method grew out of the preference for subtle taste in the Japanese food culture. To drink it with meals, the Japanese would add even more water than a pure drink of whisky. The method greatly reduces the alcohol concentration and softens the taste, so the drink would not over-shadow the flavor of the food.

Just like the art of adding ice, some people believe that the best water-cutting method consists of one part of whisky with two parts water. The ratio varies depending on the region or bar serving the drink, and 1:2.5 or 1:3 are commonly used methods.

An alternative to adding plain water is to add sparklinge water. Highball is a method of filling a glass with ice and some whisky before topping it with soda water. Just like the water-cutting method, it has been popularized by the Japanese. In fact, highball is enjoyed by many around the world, becoming one of the most basic mixed-drinks in bars.

Whether you add ice or water, or just drink it straight, there is no good or bad way to drink whisky. As long as you think it tastes good, that is the best way for you.

"That's what I said, I can have whisky with ice", T said proudly.

I laughed a little, put down the "1Q84" in my hand. I picked out a bottle of whisky and mixed a glass of Highball, embellishing myself with a touch of tipsy tonight.

Text / 陳姿穎 Zin Chen Photo / Ravenel International Art Group

◀ 卜茲《無窮游（三聯幅）》水墨 紙本 181 x 183 cm 羅芙奧台北 2021春季拍賣會「翰墨丹青－中國書畫及古文物」專場 預估價 台幣 280,000 - 400,000 PU Tzu, Calligraphy in Cursive Script (triptych), Ink on paper, 181 x 183 cm Ravenel Spring Auction 2021 Refined Brushwork: Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art Estimate: USD 9,800 - 14,000

師法自然，陶性情

卜茲本名陳宗琛，1959 年出生於台南，字少俊，號卜茲，別署溪 心散人。受父親薰陶，自幼研習書法，其後除了師承曹秋圃、陳其銓外， 更隨周植夫學詩。卜茲沈浸碑帖名家之中，能臨篆、隸、草各體，對於 書法創造的渴求，「狂草書」更成為其作為自我展現藝術實現的媒材， 反射強烈的超越可能，其創作核心價值全然地源自於東方哲學思想，源 於師從古人，追求「技與道」全然的表現。更透過技的鍛鍊，相映各大 書家精神力的純粹性，將其轉化成為自我生命可用的能量，隨著經驗修 養不斷不斷的累積，進而積累成為生命底蘊的蒙養，創造出當代時空裡 奉行「古典法度」的東方藝術「原創」價值。

書如其人，一字見心

一層樓高的紙，一筆一口氣把字由頭寫至尾，有如不用盡力氣便 不罷休，渴筆、濕筆，恍若是線條與線條間的一場雄辯，2008 年直到 2009 年，這段時間正巧是卜茲創作巔峰的時期，卜茲將創作的核心轉 至到書寫人如何利用空靈去駕馭點線，以完「美」辨證各種文字的意境。 下筆偋住呼吸，揮筆的毛流聲、墨流到呼吸，於是乎卜茲的「後設狂草」 衝決「碑統書法」的網羅，幫時代找出活路，然而其除了追求書寫方式 不斷突破之外，卜茲在用紙、筆和墨色方面，也備俱科學試驗的精神。 更許是長年打羽球的關係，卜茲手勁之力也較一般人來的強健許多，其 作中「黑、密、厚、重」的表現及腕力，同樣讓觀者感受其書寫時玲瓏 剔透溫潤酣暢意境，與內心深沉痛快的自然感受。筆中的拙、醜、直率 與自然，都將是他書藝臻於老的必要條件。

(一) 說「意象」

書法常以萬千自然之態形容，如懷素草書有如蛇般游移自如，畫間 圓轉遒勁且筆意相連形似「奔蛇走虺勢入座，驟雨旋風聲滿堂」，卜茲 擅用篆隸行個體運用草書之意趣巧妙變化，獨創別有韻致的個人風格， 在一氣呵成的作品中，誇張的節奏與一筆快慢的連貫。從美學切入的角 度，如同在聲音和旋律的節奏下，「發聲的位置，下筆的姿勢」，韻律 和節奏同樣是書法重要的美學成分。如果沒有韻律節奏，字中亦是缺少 生氣勃勃的動態美和氣勢美了。心和手同時頌讀著，跟隨著卜茲「道」 中每一字每一字的節奏起伏，字形扭轉在腕中彈跳，輕重似醉舞頓踏， 此次一幅《無窮游》以三併呈現，作中滿版的畫面，字在紙幅空間中充 斥著強烈的視覺張力，熟練至臻，以致每一筆下筆狂而飛快，墨韻更在 每次轉筆間恣意的飛灑開來，時則縱任奔逸，狂亂中現優美之姿；在《草 書商丘道中詩》中，以草書取句於王鐸詩；《霜落秋山黃葉春》一作則 書於紅箋紙，可觀作中落筆至收筆，轉折行雲流水中偶帶枯筆。

(二) 「四維空間」的表現

在超越時間、線條與立體的四維空間中，相當的去詮釋了卜茲作 品中的無限延伸，然而不僅僅是速度所能展現時間感，書體及內容真義 同樣能橫跨時間，卜茲書藝中，在完整性之外，特創以左右參差排列來 達到變化萬端的變化，常以前後數行的小字來尋求通體結構的互動，在 《臨古隸書》一作中可見字字筆道飽滿，體勢雍容，波磔平挑；《荔帷》， 荔帷二字線條婉曲流暢，旁題小字記，此作曾收錄於 1997 年卜茲出版 的《卜茲書法集》中；而自古的語言總是那麼富有詩意、韻律和想像力， 即使專業的書論也是如此，《草書墨池飛出北溟魚》作中書李白一句， 並題小字莊子《逍遙遊》，也使每幅作品富俱不同的生命特質。

回到 1997 年卜茲扎句：「書法之道的歸宿是心靈，只有在技巧無 礙、心靈會歸之際，書法才能趨近圓熟。當生命的智慧點燃書寫的技巧， 書法才能自由奔放，變化萬端，隨性前行，無罣無礙。」

談及卜茲書藝的價值，從開始到現在，一步步都像極苦行僧的步 伐，從追尋中不斷去超越，這也是為什麼卜茲作品便如同一條內化於生 命的蜿蜒之流，一路奔向於無限，正是作品中獨具的深沉奧密，每當 你目不轉睛的看著，隨畫作中行走的痕跡，看著看著便越覺深入，似乎 能感受無限存在的面貌與無限深度的美，在作品中一一蛻變為展現時間 空間獨特的表演。當代藝術才能產生多元的不同形式與面貌，一件好的 作品，必然是回歸於他生命自身的本來表現，展現最純粹性的精神性投 射，在卜茲的作品中便能感受到如此純粹，彷若「大音希聲，大象無 形。」

▲ 卜茲《荔帷》1993 水墨 紙本 57 x 19 cm 羅芙奧台北 2021春季拍賣會「翰墨丹青－中國書畫及古文物」專場 預估價 台幣 30,000 - 60,000 PU Tzu, Calligraphy, 1993, Ink on paper, 57 x 19 cm Ravenel Spring Auction 2021 Refined Brushwork: Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art Estimate: USD 1,100 - 2,100

"The cursive script is an adjusted linear depiction of the imbalanced. It is an abstract representation to achieve a visual portrayal of the mind, in unity with the hand and the brush, creating a totem of a modern individuality." － Pu Tzu

From old masters to individual expression

Pu Tzu was named by birth as Chen Zong-chen, and was born in Tainan in 1959. Under the influence of his father, Pu Tzu started formal practice in calligraphy and literature from teachers Cao Qiu-pu, Chen Qi-quan and Chou Zhi-fu. His extensive exposure to calligraphy, including stone rubbings, seal, clerical and cursive scripts, sculpted his interest in self-expression through cursive strokes. The core ideology of his works stems from the philosophy of the East, to explore the balance between skills and concepts. His skills were further refined by experience and observations, from the representations of old masters to individual expressions, thus creating a unique and modern interpretation of classical Eastern art.

Calligraphy as a unique representation

A three-meter work on paper was created in continuous strokes with tremendous effort. It is a dialogue between wet and dried strokes. In the peak of his career, in 2008-2009, Pu Tzu managed to elevate his writings to a spiritual expression with an astounding aesthetic level. As the tip of the brush sets on the paper, ink flows along with the brush. In this process, Pu Tzu created a breakthrough of cursive expression in the manner of rubbings. Hence Pu found a modern expression of cursive script. He also explored possibilities from scientific experiments. Through the years of playing badminton, Pu Tzu had strong hands to depict variations of strokes through his wrist power in sync with the mind. Such natural, sturdy and authentic representation is the key feature of his works.

(1) Representation of the mind

Calligraphy has multifarious forms of representation, from the cursive strokes of Huaisu to Pu Tzu's unique interpretation of seal and clerical scripts applied on cursive script. Pu's works play with the tempo and movement of the brush, from the point where the brush sets on the paper. Such tempo and rhythm are crucial aesthetic elements as they stipulate the movement of the strokes. The synchronization of the