Rather than the smoky, peaty flavors for which many Scotch whiskies are known, the Japanese distilleries most familiar to American drinkers, Suntory (maker of Hibiki and Toki) and Nikka, tend toward the more complex, nuanced Highlands style that Ryan Pines, bar manager at St. Pete’s Buya Ramen, likes to call “heathery.”
“They want you to taste their hard work,” he says.
Buya’s selection of Japanese whisky usually hovers around 20 bottles. A 2-ounce pour can run from $14 to $65, and plenty of folks come in specifically to drink ‘em.
Across Central Avenue at Room 901, the spirit is proving equally as popular — owners Peg Wesselink and Tony Dodson even offer a four-whisky flight, encouraging drinkers to taste them all once, then go back around, adding just a touch of water to really open up the different flavors.
Japanese Highball
Makes 1
Ice cubes, made from filtered water
1.5 ounces Japanese whisky (we used Suntory Whisky Toki)
4 ounces high-quality sparkling water
Ice:
In a small saucepan, add 2 cups of filtered water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow water to cool before bringing it to a boil a second time. Boil for 5 more minutes, then let cool again. Add to ice trays and freeze.
Cocktail:
Fill a highball glass with filtered ice and add whisky. With a bar spoon, stir 13 1/2 times. Add more filtered ice to top off the glass. Add sparkling water. Stir 3 more times. Serve immediately.
This article appears in Jan 26 – Feb 2, 2017.