いが餅
When I drink in Minami, I usually head to a standing bar where a beautiful female owner is present, but last time I encountered a wonderful bar called Bar Masuda, so this time I decided to explore another stylish bar (* ̄∀ ̄). Since Tabelog has limited information on bars, it's easier to find good ones by searching on Suntory's BarNavi. Searching near Shimanouchi Ichiyo, I found a stylish bar called Yosho Kanzori. Upon arriving at the shop in Soemon-cho, it indeed seemed like a historically rich place. Upon entering the shop, I was even more surprised. It was a naturally retro and extremely stylish bar, with a perfect atmosphere for me (゚∀゚;). It's a small bar with just a counter, but it's filled with old and rare whiskey bottles neatly lined up. The counter has leather-covered armrests, but the most impressive thing is the white-haired, white-bearded master standing behind the counter - so stylish! (゚∀゚;) I've truly found a gem of a bar. Although it has a rating of 3.12 on Tabelog, bar ratings are not always reliable. This shop looks more like a 3.5+ star place. The shop is called Country, pronounced "Kanto" in Japanese. It was named after the father of the founding master, who loved golf. There is an unopened commemorative bottle from the Suntory Open Golf tournament on display - quite valuable! (゚∀゚;) The number of whiskeys here is incredible, around 1800-2000 bottles. This is definitely a bar for enjoying whiskey. For my first drink, I had Johnny Walker Platinum on the rocks. It's not a rare drink, but I enjoyed it while observing the atmosphere of the shop. The charm was a shot with rum-infused shuuto-rain, or perhaps a pound cake. It had red beans and walnuts mixed in and was quite delicious. It paired well with the whiskey. The shop has been in business for 68 years, making it 6 years older than Bar Masuda. The great-grandfather of the master started a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) before the war, which was destroyed during the Osaka air raids. After the war in 1952, it was transformed into the current bar, with the building and interior left untouched from that time (only the toilet has been renovated). The unique, retro atmosphere that remains unchanged is truly one of the top bars in Osaka. I was the only customer that day. Before the pandemic, most customers were Westerners, and the bar was full every day, benefiting greatly from inbound tourism. However, now it's a nightmare of a situation ( ̄▽ ̄;). Japanese people don't go to bars much these days. For my second drink, I asked for a recommendation from the Highland or Speyside region. I got Craigellachie. It was my first time trying a spirit from this distillery. The name sounds German, but it's actually from the heart of Speyside. When I tasted it, it had a flavor reminiscent of apple candy, so they jokingly named it after apple candy. It reminded me of Glen Moray in taste - fruity and delicious. I closed the tab after two drinks, with a charm included, for 3800 yen. It's a fair price for enjoying good whiskey. I've found another bar that I'd like to visit again (*´∀`)♪