Bar Reviews

For sheer ingenuity and innovation as well as a healthy dose of fun, Bar Hibiya Whisky –S is a ‘must-visit’. Not only do they specialise in rare Japanese whiskies (with a large number from Suntory’s archives), but also have an onsite smokery for their salmon Sashimi. However, the real icing on the cake takes the art of drinking whisky to uncharted (and scientific) proportions. For the equivalent of £10, customers have the opportunity to blend their very own whisky from...

A truly extraordinary bar. Finding the Campbeltoun Loch isn’t easy, but once you’ve located the wrought iron steps down into this basement hangout, past the carved wooden entry sign, you know you’ve found whisky perfection. To see the empty bottles, which sit stacked around the entrance is well worth the visit alone! The bar itself is a tiny rectangular room, with enough room for just 10 guests, where its owner, Nakamura-san has collated a veritable feast of rare and ancient...

Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most unique cities when it comes to bar culture and Stay Up Late perhaps typifies the rich diversity the city has been celebrated for. This 3rd floor bar is difficult to find, and, as with many of the microbars in the Shimbashi district, it fills up very quickly, with just 10 seats at the bar. But the most remarkable feature is the wall of 6000 CDs, which play a very important part to the...

An intriguing bar, which is named after the ancient spinning cylindrical device that gives an illusion of a moving image. However, there are no illusions here as you stare at the incredibly well stocked back bar with over 300 rare Japanese single malts. Zoetrope is probably one Tokyo’s leading bars in this field, lovingly curated and cared for by owner, Atsushi Horigami. Enjoy one of his many whisky recommendations whilst watching old movies from the silent age, which are projected...