Hi Pandas!

We have a real treat for you today! All the way from Ikebukuro, Tokyo, we have received word of an exclusive new bottling over at Aloha Whisky Bar!

“By a stroke of luck, somewhere in between sampling and landing in Japan, this cask hit a maturation threshold and became exceptional.”

The friendly David Tsujimoto-san helms Aloha Whisky and has brought the bar to new heights!

You might have already heard of this impressive bar which has the most passionately-curated and valuable collection of Japanese whiskies including highly sought-after Chichibus. Opened in late 2019, it almost immediately went on to bag the Whisky Magazine’s prestigious awards in 2020. This is a bar we’ve followed and admired for a long time, and is run by the very friendly David Tsujimoto-san. Why “Aloha Whisky”? Japanese by descent but raised in sunny, warm Hawaii, David-san welcomes everyone with warmth and joy in the most Hawaiian spirit. He moved back to Tokyo a couple of years back and went on to graciously open a bar of his own to let us have a taste of his extensive collection. He has no doubt done a splendid job of running Aloha Whisky and was named Icons of Whisky’s Bar Manager and not to mention the Bar of the Year for 2020, under the Rest of World category.

Having already established such an impressive collection, it was only a matter of time that Aloha Whisky bottles its very own whisky. The latest bottling to be unveiled is a 33 year old Strathclyde Single Grain Scotch Whisky.

Strathclyde distillery belongs to the Chivas stable and is responsible for producing floral, sweet and creamy grain whisky that ties the blend together. Image Source: Whisky Business

Strathclyde is Glasgow’s only grain distillery and belongs to the Pernod Ricard group, which you might be more familiar with as the producer of Chivas blended whiskies. Strathclyde is tasked with providing smooth, light and creamy grain whisky for well-known blends such as Ballantine’s and Chivas, using fresh water from Loch Katrine and distilled through a 2-column system. As part of the Chivas secret sauce, Strathclyde is not released through official bottlings, so it is definitely a real treat to see Strathclyde bottled as a single grain by Aloha Whisky!

The tasting notes for this magnificent 33 year old Strathclyde are:

Colour:                       Golden Straw

Nose:                          Lemon, Slight Menthol

Palate:                        Honey, Vanilla

Finish:                         Long, Warming

This is what David-san had to say about this very exciting (and shiny) bottle:

"I chose this cask because it was well balanced in many aspects, nose, taste, finish and cost. As single grain aren’t the most popular to begin with, I really needed an excellent label, so the brainstorming began. I was getting nowhere when I stumbled upon beautiful artwork on Facebook created by my former staff. I asked her if I could use it for a bottling and the rest is history, or so I thought. By a stroke of luck, somewhere in between sampling and landing in Japan, this cask hit a maturation threshold and became exceptional. "

       @111hotpot's take:

Single grains have definitely been on the rise due to their accessible flavor profiles that are a lot gentler than single malt, typically having a sweeter more floral palate, and a delicate yet fairly complex aromatic nose. Single grains are also highly versatile and go superbly with cocktails, imbuing the glass with all of the aromatics in the form of a light refreshingly well-knit cohesive body.

Aloha Whisky’s latest bottling of the 33 year old Strathclyde is a well-matured, mellowed-out single grain that has been bottled at its peak. We expect the spirit to be easy on the palate, harmonious and yet rich and complex with its aromas. Might we add that the bottle has a gorgeous label designed by a good friend of David-san. But don’t take it from us, if you’re in Tokyo, head on over to Aloha Whisky and try it for yourself!

Kanpai!

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Aloha Whisky | Information

Aloha Whisky is an award-winning whisky bar managed by the wonderful David Tsujimoto-san, located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, serving whisky drink-in, take-out and also by the bottle.

Location:

Aloha Whisky Bar is a 7 minute walk from the West Exit of Ikebukuro Station. It is located across the street from Exit C3.

Izumi Building 3F-B, 3-29-11, Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021, Japan

Opening Info:

3 – 8pm, last order at 7pm. Please contact the bar ahead to confirm daily availability.

Contact Details:

Website: alohawhisky.jp

Social Media: Instagram @alohawhisky | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/alohawhisky

Email: alohawhisky@gmail.com | Phone: +81 3-6912-7887

Very Responsive! 😄