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Odds are, you've tried bourbon from Kentucky, whiskey from Tennessee, and maybe even Irish whiskey or Scotch whisky (without the 'e”). But have you ever experimented with the fine malted grain spirits of the Far East? Japanese whiskey has found its way into town, with several bars and restaurants at the leading edge of the coming tsunami.
'It's the new craze,” relates chef Matt Bolus of The 404 Kitchen. 'I call myself a whiskey drinker because I appreciate whiskey from America to Scotland to Ireland to Japan.” At the intimate bar in Bolus's restaurant, the shelves are stocked with fine brown liquors from around the world, and Japan is well represented. Unlike Tennessee and Kentucky whiskeys and bourbons that specify minimum percentages of corn to use their proprietary spirit names, there are no such regulations in Japan.
'Japanese distillers mainly studied in Scotland and imported Scottish stills, so there's a lot of that character in their whiskeys,” Bolus explains. 'But they represent lots of different styles in their products. They run the gamut from whiskeys that taste like smoky scotch to sweet corn–based whiskeys that drink like bourbon. That's a tiny little island to be producing so many great things.”
Above all, makers of Japanese whiskeysjust like makers of Japanese automobilesare obsessed with quality. 'They are all about perfection,” Bolus says. 'Japanese distilleries are not taking anything subpar to market.” Ben Clemons, the man behind the newly opened whiskey bar attached to Otaku Ramen in The Gulch, agrees with Bolus.
'The Japanese perspective on whisky is special because they take obsessive care with each grain and every process trying to achieve the highest form of the spirit,” he says. 'The master tasters in Japanese distilleries even live on the exact same diet every day to maintain the purity of their palate.”
As more new products arrive from Japan, whiskey fans are discovering the breadth of their spirits. 'American's exposure to Japanese whisky has been so limited until recently that we assume that it all tastes like scotch,” Clemons explains, adding, 'the opportunity with Otaku was to bring an intense focus on these exquisite and highly sought after whiskys that don't always fall into traditional American categories.”
In East Nashville, Two Ten Jack's Shannon Melidis is seeing more and more patrons wanting to experiment with Japanese whiskeys at her bar. 'Some come in knowing a little bit about them, but most ask me to walk them through the experience,” she says. Two Ten Jack offers flights of whiskeys to allow novices to taste their way through several options and experience the different styles.
Melidis enjoys educating her customers either with snifters of straight Japanese whiskeys or as part of cocktail.
'The whole point of our bar program is not to be pretentious or confuse people,” she says. 'We just want to be creative and have fun.”
Try three Japanese whiskey–based cocktails!Recipes in the May issue of Nashville Lifestyles Magazine.
Ready to dive into the world of Japanese whiskeys? Here's where to begin.
If You Like Bourbon
Bolus: 'Hibiki 17 has a gentle oak and nice honey character. But Nikka Pure Malt Black Whisky is like a Werther's Original candy in a glass.”
Clemons: 'Japanese whiskey is available at lots of different price points. Iwai is an affordable whisky from the Mars distiller that tastes more like bourbon.”
Melidis: 'Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky has a lot of bourbon notes. There's plenty of vanilla and corn on the nose to satisfy bourbon lovers.”
If You Like Scotch
Bolus: 'I like the Hakashu Single Malt 12 for scotch drinkers. It's a little bit grassy.”
Clemons: 'Now that Hibiki 12 is almost impossible to find, I'm recommending Hibiki Harmony, a blend of grain and malt whiskeys, and the Yamazaki from Suntory drinks like a single malt.”
Melidis: 'If you want to spend the money, Yamazaki 18 is really lovely. On a budget, Akashi White Oak is a nice option.