Whisky Tasting at Bar Perch

Yamanashi is famously known as the “wine country” of Japan, but I have also found it to be quite well-known for its whisky. In addition to the Suntory distillery in Hokuto City, did you know that whisky connoisseurs from Japan and abroad stop by Kiyosato to try a wide variety of exceptional whiskies?

Moegi-no-Mura

At Moegi-no-Mura, you can find shops, restaurants, and other activities to try with friends or family. It is also here that whisky lovers can unite and taste liquid gems. At Bar Perch, located at the second floor of the Hotel Hut Walden, there are over 500 different whiskies you can taste, some are even extremely rare!

Bar Perch

The “Kiyosato Field Ballet” is an annual ballet show that takes place in the heart of Kiyosato Forest. Each year, thousands of ballet fans gather to admire this show, that has a great reputation even among the dancers themselves. I personally had the opportunity to see the 31st edition of the show, Swan Lake. The branches of the trees form the most beautiful green bower for the stage; the mysterious noises from the forest creatures made the whole experience even more magical!

You might be wondering, "What does ballet have to do with whisky?"

Mr. Seiichi Koshimizu, one of Suntory’s chief blenders, happens to come from Kofu, the capital city of Yamanashi. As he was approaching retirement, he decided to create one last masterpiece that would leave a lasting impression on the region. A distillery’s chief blender is the person in charge of assembling whisky blends that harmonize with each other, and they also decide the flavor of the final product. That’s right, Mr. Koshimizu is the man behind the deliciousness of the famous Hibiki, Yamazaki, and Hakushu blends from Hakushu!

For his last creation, he created a whisky to commemorate the 25th edition of the Kiyosato Field Ballet, combining 25-year-old Hakushu, that has been aging since 1990, along with 50-year-old Yamazaki, which is supposed to represent the ballerinas’ grace. Only 300 bottles were put on the market in 2014, and that very same year, the blend was awarded “Best Japanese Whisky.” 

Further celebrating the 26th to 29th editions of the Kiyosato Field Ballet, the Saitama distillery known for Ichiro’s Malt, released commemorative bottles of the whisky.

In 2019, the international reputation of Japanese whisky grew considerably after an auction that took place in Hong Kong. 54 whisky bottles, representing the 54 cards of a card deck, were sold for more than 100 million yen (around 940,000 USD). This was the highest price a Japanese whisky had ever been sold at. Coincidentally, those bottles were all produced by… the very same distillery I mentioned above. The world of excellence is a small one!

This next bottle, created by Wax on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Kiyosato Field Ballet, features a blend of 30-year and 32-year-old Hakushu. Only 15 bottles of this whisky exist in the entire world, and it can be enjoyed only at Bar Perch. Of course, luxury has a price—but when you like something, the price doesn’t matter!

If you’re not the biggest fan of pure whisky, why not try a cocktail prepared by a bar tender who won multiple cocktail-making contests? The one I chose (photoed below) was a delicious tangy and fruity mix with a generous amount of whisky, unlike your typical cocktail. I recommend taking slow sips so you can fully appreciate the subtle balance of the natural, fruity sweetness and the other smoky flavors of this amber-colored beverage.

Whisky lovers from all around the world, Bar Perch is undoubtedly a must-go spot for you! You will be delighted by this sensorial, unique, and sophisticated experience, that you can only have at this bar. The casual atmosphere is reminiscent of an Irish pub, or warm moments spent around the fireplace of a cozy mountain lodge.

You can easily spend the whole day at Moegi-no-Mura: shopping, lunch and beer at restaurant ROCK, walks through the forest, the Music Box Museum, whisky tasting at Bar Perch, etc. You can spend the night at the nearby hotel “Hut Walden.” It’s literally just a stone toss away from restaurant ROCK!

Price Range

Commemorative Whisky Kiyosato Field Ballet 25th edition: 30 ml 18,000 yen
Commemorative Whisky Kiyosato Field Ballet 30th edition: 30 ml 50,000 yen
Tasting Set of Commemorative Whiskies, 26th - 29th editions: 14,000 yen
Cocktails: around 1,500 yen

More Info

Bar Perch website:
https://barperch.com

Address: Yamanashi-ken, Hokuto-shi, Takane-cho, Kiyosato 3545 Moegi no Mura

2nd floor of Hut Walden Hotel
(Moegi-no-Mura is only 2 hours away from Shinjuku via the Chuo Expressway. If come by train, take a limited express train bound for Matsumoto, get off at Kobuchizawa to transfer to the Koumi Line, and take a train to Kiyosato. From there, Moegi-no-Mura is a 10-minute walk, in total a 2.5 hour trip.)