A Luxury Whisky Holiday To Japan

Vacations are a time to unwind, relax, and experience a destination you don’t get to normally visit. This can take the form of an amazing hotel, sightseeing, taking in local events and, of course, trying out the local cuisine. Luxury holidays aren’t complete until you’ve had an opportunity to sit down at a restaurant and take in not only the sites, but the sounds of an these incredible destinations. Here are a few places you should tantalize your taste buds on your next vacation.

Tokyo is often synonymous with sushi, and for obvious reasons. As the innovators of the raw-fish revolution, Tokyo stands as the pinnacle of sushi and seafood for good reason. Today, however, we’re not looking for seafood. This time, we’re swimming in whisky.

Japanese Whisky takes a lot of inspiration from the Scots – they spell it similarly and emulate the style, and that’s probably why it’s taken off so much. Japanese whisky makers have been grabbing up awards and in 2012, Suntory’s Yamazaki 25-year-old was crowned “World’s Best Single Malt Whisky” at the World Whiskies Awards. While that’s news to most of the world, it’s not so much for the Japanese, as their oldest distillery just turned 90.

As Japanese whiskies become more popular, they are still best experienced at the home of it all. Tokyo’s whist culture is unlike any other, where entire establishments are devoted to the spirit, more often than not with phonebook size lists that showcase Japanese, Scottish and American varieties. Some establishments will even go as far as to offer menus of food specifically designed to accompany the whisky pairing (much like a fine wine).

Typically the best whisky is just taken with ice, however the Japanese have become enthralled with one particular cocktail: The Highball. One part whisky and two to three parts soda served in a frosty mug, this cocktail is often served with meals in place of beer or wine. Recently, The Highball has become so ubiquitous that it is sold in cans in convenience stores and on draught in most bars. Tokyo residents are also quite picky about their ice. The standard at high-end bars is a single, ultra-clear and pure sphere of ice, approximately of tennis ball size, that melts much more slowly to cool without diluting.

When touring Tokyo for Whisky, a must-stop destination is always the New York Bar in Shinjuku, the bar from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray packed back whisky like it was going out of style. If you want the true experience, pick up Bill’s cup where he left off and try the Hibiki 17, an ultra-premium blend on par with Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It’s just a worth noting that The New York Bar isn’t a whisky-centric destination and tourists show up nightly to take selfies at Murray’s stool.

The more authentic Shinjuku whisky experience is at Shot Bar Zoetrope, a smaller destination but arguably Tokyo’s most famous whisky house. It’s made its appearance on various lists of the world’s best bars and is a dual theme with both whisky and cinema. Movie screens constantly in the dim space build a welcoming atmosphere which was assembled by a top art director in the Japanese film industry. The bar contains more than 300 bottles of whisky, including the latest selections from up-and-coming distilleries, and offers sampler flights of Japanese versions. Zoetrope is similar to a lot of the top Japanese bars in that it’s hard to find, tucked away in the third floor of a nondescript office building, so I’d recommend asking some of the locals or your concierge if you need to get specific directions.

If you’re looking for something a bit more out in the open, Hibiya Bar Whisky-S in Ginza is clearly marked at ground level is just a few steps from the poshest shopping. Hibiya is recommended for visitors and features a detailed list in English along with a tapas-style menu designed to complement the whisky.

Tokyo’s whisky is definitely an experience worth checking out. Even if you aren’t into whisky, Tokyo is a destination worth visiting on its own, booming with life and excitement and culture that you just can’t find anywhere else. Start booking your tickets!