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Glenmorangie mastermind reveals his favourite Tokyo bars

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Tokyo has always been a favourite travel destination for globe-trotting Glenmorangie whisky creator Dr Bill Lumsden. The city’s vibrant bar scene and bustling streets, countered by its quiet gardens and ancient customs, are also the inspiration for his latest whisky creation, Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo.

Dr Lumsden drew on the memories, feelings and flavours of his many visits to Tokyo, together with a desire to experiment with rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks for the first time, to create the limited edition expression. In the whisky’s flavour profile, pepper meets bitter cherries and coconut, as mouth-watering orange zest fuses with incense and sweet oak. On the finish, classic Glenmorangie flavours of mandarin, almond and marzipan can be detected.

To bring the vibrant inspiration and flavours of A Tale of Tokyo to life, Glenmorangie collaborated with Japanese artist Yamaguchi Akira, who created his own playful perspective of the city’s rich layers of history and culture in an artwork that adorns each bottle and its packaging.

Uniting his trademark maximalist bird’s-eye view style with Glenmorangie’s technicolour palette, it juxtaposes famed landmarks and characteristics from both Tokyo and the Highland Distillery, as well as traditional Japanese pastimes with nods to the whisky’s flavours. From the Tokyo Tower and Ueno Park to Glenmorangie’s giraffe-high stills and lush Mizunara oak trees, there are many intricate, hidden discoverables in his work, including several Dr Bill figures peppered throughout. 

Dr Lumsden said: “I’m lucky to have travelled widely over the years sharing Glenmorangie around the world whilst also gathering new inspiration for whisky creations, and Tokyo has always been one of my favourite places.

“I’m fascinated by the contradictions between its bustling streets and tranquil gardens, ancient and modern buildings, its many sensory experiences and its culture. My time there over the years made me wonder whether I could capture my experience of Tokyo, and these beautiful intricacies, in whisky form.

“I partly matured a proportion of Glenmorangie spirit in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks, which I’ve been curious to experiment with for some time. The influence of this wood is incredibly complex and unusual; it required balance and softening with Glenmorangie matured in bourbon and sherry casks, and the result is a dram as full of delicious sensory contrasts as a trip to Tokyo.”

Dr Bill’s top Tokyo bars

Dr Lumsden has visited Tokyo 25 times over the years and loves exploring the city and its culture.

“I strongly recommend doing a bit of research on the city, so that when you sip and savour it you can appreciate the wonders of Tokyo which are reflected in the whisky’s very creative packaging and flavour,” he said.

These are his recommendations on the best spots to enjoy a drink in the vibrant city.

Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo is available at First Choice and Vintage Cellars stockists across Australia. 

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Categories: New releases, Travel