The Transcendent Spirit of Japanese Whisky

There was dismay on the woman’s face at the next table. “This is … wrong! It’s … I don’t know, it’s wrong,” she said, and she put her glass down. “That’s not an old fashioned. I don’t know what it is.”

There was something in the glass that might have been maraschino cherry juice, there was a rim of sugar around the glass, there was no twist of peel. From where we sat, it looked questionable, but not awful. At any rate, it was none of our business.

Her date, trying to soothe the situation, said, “Maybe it’s because it’s not normal whiskey. It’s Japanese.”

No. No, that wasn’t it at all. Because, as it turned out, the whisky – no “e” – was the best part of the mis-made drink. And that innocent couple at the next table needed to learn that, in the right hands, it can be a truly transcendent spirit.

The unenlightened may judge the wee dram by their nationalist notions, but for the serene Biscayne Tippler, the proof is in the pour – and Japanese whisky, drop for drop, provides some of the finest sipping on the planet.

Land of the Rising Sun(shine State)

One of the best local entry points into Japanese culture is Nobu Hotel Miami Beach. The second Thursday of every month, in collaboration with the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, it hosts a Shibui whisky tasting. Guests are presented a flight of spirits ranging from wheat and malt whiskies from Niigata to single-grain Okinawan whisky.

“My goal is to provide a multisensory experience,” said Alejandro Rivera, Nobu’s VIP guest experience manager. “Music, incredible vistas and a warm, friendly ambience complement the journey as we taste whisky made from grain, malted barley and rice.

“For Japanese whisky newcomers, I recommend visiting your neighborhood Japanese restaurant and ask for their favorite Japanese house whisky,” he advised. “Don’t be afraid – what you experience just might delightfully surprise you.”

Of course, Nobu’s whisky tastings are about straight whisky, undecorated. This is in the spirit of the spirit, since Japanese whisky is a no-”e” whisky, which is another way of saying it’s a kind of scotch.

Scotch is also, as it turns out, a drink with deeply transplanted roots in Japan. The first whisky was tasted in Japan thanks to British traders in the mid-19th century, and sake breweries were selling their own whiskies on the side by the 1850s. But it wasn’t until 1923 that Suntory established Japan’s first official “uisuki” (whisky) distillery. By then, not only were Japanese artisans taking on the pride and joy of Scotland, but a Japanese colony had been growing pineapples here in South Florida for two decades.

“Our similar weather, more diverse population, and lack of earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters – frequent in Japan – have made South Florida a haven for the Japanese immigrant community,” said Rivera. “We benefit from their amazing cuisine and spirits, their Zen, humble and holistic approach to life, and their incredible generosity.”

How We Whisky

At Osaka Miami’s Kero bar, the menu boasts more than 30 Japanese whiskies and several cocktails showcasing the best side of the spirit. The Penishirin, for example, blends Scotch whisky with Suntory Toki uisuki, and boosts the transcontinental flavor with honey, lemon, ginger and wasabi.

At Sushi Bar Miami Beach, order a Miyagikyo cocktail, which is made by mixing award-winning Japanese whisky Nikka Coffey, yuzu juice, Madagascar vanilla, matcha and coconut whey.

“We wanted to create a cocktail that highlights the whisky without taking away from the dining experience,” said general manager Sam Attia. “Tying in coconut keeps the cocktails relatable to our guests, and with the matcha, the cocktail tastes more like a boba tea.”

Shokudo in Upper Buena Vista is perhaps a more thoroughly Japanese eatery, run by the folks behind Toni’s Sushi Bar on South Beach and Shimuja, the ramen restaurant in Julia & Henry’s. Its Tokyo Nights cocktail, despite its name, seems more Floridian, with Suntory Toki tempered by a tamarind cordial, grapefruit soda and lemongrass bitters.

At Watr at 1 Hotel South Beach, there’s an even greater Sunshine State twist on Japanese whisky with the elaborate Okinawan Colada, built on the foundation of the simple, classic whisky sour.

“In true Japanese cocktail-making style, we tried finding the perfect balance between sweet, sour, salty and boozy,” said food and beverage manager Tania Duprey. “Using Tottori Japanese Whisky for its clean and subtle scotch-like smoke, blended with clarified lemon juice and coconut syrup, we came up with a nice, tangy, smoky base. Pairing that with our ‘complex’ foam, containing more than six ingredients, we achieve the perfect sweet complement to our sour.”

Something as complicated as an Okinawan Colada is probably best enjoyed when out and about. But what about that couple in the place that shall remain nameless?

The old fashioned is a cocktail so simple, many establishments can’t help but abuse it. Like raku pottery or enso brushwork, ornamentation takes away from the finished product. You can create, at home, something better than what that bartender served by keeping it simple and letting the good stuff speak for itself.

JAPANESE OLD FASHIONED

INGREDIENTS

·     1 tangerine segment

·     1 teaspoon simple syrup

·     3 dashes Angostura bitters

·     2 ounces Suntory Toki

·     Strip of tangerine peel, 1″ wide and 3″ long

METHOD

·     Muddle tangerine segment with simple syrup in rocks glass, removing pulp and seeds afterward.

·     Add large ice cube, then bitters, followed by whisky; stir slightly then twist peel over glass to express oils before garnishing and serving.

OKINAWAN COLADA

INGREDIENTS

·     6 ounces liquified coconut oil

·     25 ounces (750 ml) Tottori Japanese Whisky

·     1 14-ounce can coconut milk

·     8 ounces St. Germain

·     2 ounces passion fruit purée

·     3 ounces coconut purée

·     1/4 tablespoon kosher salt

·     3 gelatin sheets

·     1 1/2 ounces coconut fat-washed Tottori Japanese Whisky

·     1 ounce Sour AF Lemon

·     3/4 ounce coconut simple syrup

·     3 dashes Tiki Bitters

·     Coconut foam

·     Pinch ground nutmeg

·     Edible orchid for garnish

METHOD

·     To prepare coconut fat-washed whisky, add 6 ounces liquified coconut oil to 25 ounces Tottori in jar; close tightly, shake vigorously and let infuse 1 hour. Place in freezer overnight, then remove solids and pass through strainer lined with coffee filter.

·     To prepare coconut foam, mix coconut milk with St. Germain, passion fruit purée, coconut purée and kosher salt; heat half of mixture on stove, stirring in gelatin sheets until they’re melted, about 1 minute. Combine with remaining liquid, pour into Isi canister, charge once with CO2, shake and chill at least 1 hour until ready to serve.

·     Add fat-washed Tottori, Sour AF Lemon, coconut simple syrup and bitters to shaker; shake vigorously then strain into rocks glass over large cube.

·     Top with coconut foam, nutmeg and garnish.

PENISHIRIN

INGREDIENTS

·     1 1/2 ounces Suntory Toki Whisky

·     1/2 ounce plus spritz Laphroaig Whisky

·     1 ounce lemon juice

·     1/2 ounce ginger syrup

·     1/4 ounce honey syrup

·     1/2 teaspoon wasabi

·     Black salt for garnish

·     Caviar for garnish

METHOD

·     Shake ingredients until well combined, strain into double-rocks glass over hand-carved ice.

·     Garnish with black salt and caviar, and spritz with Laphroaig before serving.