One of its signature events, Bulgari Ginza Bar’s Symposia is a showcase of renowned bartenders from Japan and overseas for a one-off guest shift. For the series’ first edition this year, the swanky bar is hosting Shinya Koba from Yakoboku bar in Kumamoto. Koba, the winner of the World Class Japan Bartender of the Year 2021, is serving up five original cocktails that feature innovative techniques and creative use of unusual ingredients.
The Kyushu Old Fashioned is easily the most complex cocktail of the night. The classic concoction is given an ambitious Japanese twist by an infusion of aroma and flavours from three types of trees common to Kyushu. The smoky yet relaxing aroma of hinoki (Japanese cypress) is the most apparent while the use of wax-washing gives the bourbon-based drink a smooth and luxurious mouthfeel.
The refreshing Yakoboku, named after Koba’s bar, has a floral, wine-like bouquet, thanks to the infusion of night jasmine. The deliciously tart Tepache Matador, on the other hand, is a riff on the classic Mexican drink that’s made by fermenting pineapples. Here it’s sweetened with brown sugar, enhanced with lemongrass, and boosted with the bright acidity of lime and orange juice. Beer drinkers especially will find the Kaminoura IPA familiar and enjoyable, as the cocktail is made with hop-infused gin, and mixed with milk, lemon juice and passionfruit juice before being filtered to create a clear liquid akin to ale.
For this special event (from 6pm; last orders at 10pm), purchase a cocktail voucher for ¥8,000 at the reception on the 10th floor. The voucher is good for four cocktails.