Japanese whisky is a sweet alternative for bourbon lovers

 
Just a few years ago, Japanese whisky was difficult to track down in New York — now it’s popping up on more spirits lists and making its way into cocktails.

“Introducing it to someone is fun,” explains Jon Pinto, the bar manager for Koi restaurants. He estimates 10% of his customers have heard of Japanese whisky. “For brown spirit drinkers, it’s familiar, but also different.”

The most popular is Yamazaki 12, a single malt whisky that Suntory has imported into the U.S. since the ’90s. Mixologist Gardner Dunn, an East Coast brand ambassador for Suntory, says Yamazaki 12 — which gets its name from the number of years it’s aged — is great for someone who likes bourbon, but hasn’t made the move to more bracing Scotches.

“It’s a great introduction to single malt whisky,” Dunn says. “It’s a little sweeter with a lot of honey notes to it.”

Over the years, Suntory has added more iterations to its list of imports to the U.S., including the blended Hibiki and the smokier Hakushu. Two more styles are coming this year and they’re being joined by whiskies from Nikka, a Tokyo-based distillery.

Fans are ready. Yasuyuki Suzuki, the general manager for SakaMai on the lower East Side is eagerly awaiting the Nikka options.

“We are on the wait list,” he says.

Meanwhile, here are some Japanese whisky cocktails you can try now.

Japanese gastro lounge SakaMai is serious about sake, but also boasts extensive selections of shochu, Japanese craft beer and sips created by Shingo Gokan, the head bartender at cult-cocktail bar Angel’s Share. The Kohaku ($16) is a take on the whisky sour, blending Yamazaki 12 with yuzu (a type of citrus), egg white and wasanbon, a Japanese sugar. A small amount of the sugar is then br?léed on top, which gives the finished product a caramelized scent.

While you’re there, be sure to check out the show-stopping Ento “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” ($15). Bartender Roberto Bermudez uses a tiny torch to smoke cinnamon and cloves on a brick and turns a frosty snifter glass upside down to catch the wisps. The glass is then filled with a mixture of Bulleit bourbon, Hanahato aged sake, Benedictine and bitters. One appreciative customer greeted the drink with applause.