About a year ago, single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies disappeared from the shelves of retail shops around the world. Victim to their success, many of the whiskies had been garnering top awards internationally.
Collectors and connoisseurs snapped them up, as did bars and high-end restaurants, hotels, and inns.
Nowadays if you want a bottle of the really good stuff, you have to search high and low and then expect to pay between $300 to $1,200 USD for the privilege.
Imperial Hotel, Osaka
But don’t despair.
Here in Japan, several terrific spots still have first-rate single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies.
And, yes, they are worth it: Refined, aromatic, with extraordinary texture or body, these whiskies are worth the expense.
And while you need very deep pockets to enjoy the very best of them, for about 1800 JPY you can enjoy several that are quite good and indeed memorable.
Bartender Sugimoto at Tokyo Station hotel
Here’s where to find them.
TOKYO:
The Old Imperial Bar
The Old Imperial Bar
Inside the classic Imperial Hotel, you will find this dark, sophisticated venue presided over by chief bartender Yasuhiro Katsumata.
“One thing that makes Japanese whiskies unique,” said Katsumata-san, “is their fragrance. We call that kaori.”
The Old Imperial Bar has a little over a half dozen single malt, vintage whiskies, including an Hibiki 30 year old, which for a glass will cost you 16,200 JPY. Others cost far less, and include a Taketsuru 25 year old, a Taketsuru 21 year old, and a Yamazaki 18 year old.
The Old Imperial Bar
Peter: The Bar
Just down the street from The Imperial Hotel, you will find The Peninsula Hotel, which has in its bar ten single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies, including the Hibiki 30 year old, which here costs 25,000 JPY as well as a Yamazaki 25 year old for 30,000 JPY. For 3,200 JPY, have a glass of the Hibiki 17 year old.
New York Grill
On the 52nd floor of the renowned Park Hyatt in Shinjuku, there is a huge array of single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies, including a Yamazaki 1984, Hakushu 25 year old, Taketsuru 35 year old, and Yoichi 1989. But you had better hurry—these may be gone by the time you get there.
Bar Oak
Located inside the train station, and within the Tokyo Station Hotel, this totally renovated and upscale bar is home to one of Japan’s most famous bartenders: Hisashi Sugimoto, who is said by the hotel to have tended Bar Oak for just over a half century. You’ll find about four vintage, single malt Japanese whiskies here, including a Hakushu 25 year old for 11,000 JPY and a Hakushu 12 year old for 1,780 JPY.
Maduro
Live jazz and an international, very well heeled crowd make this spot in Roppongi Hills the perfect place to enjoy vintage, single malt whiskies served under the guidance of hip manager Seiichi Sato. Among the prize bottles here are a Yamazaki 25 year old and a single cask Yoichi 1989 (bottles only); and, a Hakushu 25 year old, and a Hibiki 30 year old (bottle or shot). But the rarest whisky available is a Nikka 34 year old, which can only be purchased by the bottle and costs 850,000 JPY.
“It will be very difficult to replace these once they are gone,” said Sato-san, “but I’m guessing that we will have more in time for the 2020 Olympics.”
Zoetrope
One of Tokyo’s best known whisky bars, you’ll find here in this tiny room located in Nishi-Shinjuku literally hundreds of bottles from small distilleries from all over Japan. The owner, Atsushi Horigami, is deeply knowledgeable about his whiskies and can teach you all you need to know…if you speak Japanese or bring along an interpreter!
KYOTO:
Gion
This “pleasure district” has dozens of secretive bars open only to members, and many of these are well stocked with rare, single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies. If you ask your hotel for an “in” at one of the bars that might allow guests, you will discover a treasure trove of the very good stuff. Best of luck, you’ll need it.
Touzan
This subterranean bar at the Hyatt Regency often has great, old Motown tunes playing, which serve as a backdrop to tastings of hard-to-find single malt, vintage Japanese whiskies.
The Bar
Nestled inside the Ritz Carlton, which opened just two years ago, this very chic joint serves first rate Japanese whiskies such as a Yamazaki 25 year old for 14,600 JPY and a Hibiki 30 year for 14,6000 JPY. For those who do not have pockets so deep, you can enjoy either a Yamazaki or Hakushi 12 year old for 2,400 JPY.
And don’t forget…
Japan is home to boutique hotels and ryokans (hot springs inns) where privacy is the central theme and the country’s fancy-pants come to unwind.
The Kobe Kitano Hotel, for example, has a bar that wouldn’t be out of a place in a film noir, and here you’ll find nine single malt, vintage whiskies, including Yamazaki 18, Hitomi 1991, and Hibiki 17.
Venture out into the countryside and you will discover very upscale ryokans that have esxtensive collections of vintage, single malt Japanese whiskies. Many of these hot springs inns, unfortunately, keep bottles on reserve that belong to regular guests, and while you won’t be able to share in the whiskies belonging to the country’s elite, you will find first-rate and rare bottles.
Top ryokans like Asaba (Shizenju), Gora Kadan (Hakone), Bettei Senjuan (Minakami), Kayotei (Kaga Onsen), Tobira Onsen Myojinkan (Matsumoto), and Beniya Mukayu (Yamashiro) all have fine whiskies.
Wherever you try these increasingly rare whiskies, savor each sip since it may be years before you have the chance again. That way you’ll enjoy what Japanese call ichigo-ichie: “One encounter, one chance.”