ぐりまーついんず
When you hear "Naito" at a bar, you immediately think of Naito Chin, right? I wonder if anyone knows him? haha Before heading to a certain traditional Japanese restaurant for the second time in Ningyocho, I decided to check out a nearby bar that I had been wanting to visit. This place, Bar Naito, was opened by Mr. Naito, who had been working at the authentic bar, Bar OPA in Monzen-Nakacho for many years, about 9 years ago. The bar has been selected as one of the top 100 bars on Tabelog. Located in a building tucked away in the backstreets near Ningyocho, it is on the basement floor. Despite being underground, the ceiling is surprisingly high, giving a sense of descending about 1.5 floors below ground level. The back bar has 5 layers. Each layer has sturdy bars for fall prevention, a feature that was added after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The logo is a design combining Naito's "N" and Ningyocho's "N", with the yellow representing barley, the main ingredient in whiskey, and the top part... I forgot what it was when I asked haha. Now, let's start with my favorite cocktail. - Gimlet: Is the gin Beefeater? Finally, ice is added to the shaker... oh, that was a long shake! It might have been the longest shake I've ever seen. Let's try it... whoa, this is strong! As I suspected, the gin is a bit heavy. Phew! And it's delicious! Spirits pack a punch, after all. Spirits are all about high alcohol content. Spirits like Spirytus are a bit too much though haha. - Otoshi: Mixed nuts - Glenfiddich Our Original Twelve (Single Malt): One of the representatives of 12-year-old Scotch single malts. It has an elegant and smooth taste, perfect before a Japanese meal. However, the bottle has changed from the one I used to see when I frequented bars. It's still triangular, but they've added illustrations directly to the bottle, not just the label. Bourbons like Four Roses have also upgraded their bottles. - Clynelish Aged 14 Years (Single Malt): Do you have a menu? I asked, and although the menu only listed representative brands, it wasn't very helpful... as they said. It was as described on the menu, but as I hadn't tried this Highland malt before, I decided to give it a try. Wow, this is delicious! It has a rich flavor and aroma, making this single malt very tasty. I made the right choice by ordering this! I was thinking of leaving, but since I still had time and felt like having one more drink... - Chartreuse Verte V.E.P. (Single Malt): This is a liqueur from France. There's Verte (green) and Jaune (yellow). I often had Chartreuse Verte as a finishing touch at bars, but I had never tried V.E.P. before. What's with this thickness!? This is a Verte that has been further aged for 8 years, with a creamy texture, plenty of herbal aroma, and almost the same alcohol content as regular Verte (55%). It was so delicious! I made the right choice by ordering this. Oh, I almost forgot about the meal after this. That's not good. I need to leave soon! So, after enjoying myself, I ended up drinking too much before heading to my favorite Japanese restaurant for a meal. Oh well, it was a great place. I visit Ningyocho often, so I would like to visit this place again. I also hope to visit the renowned main store of Bar OPA in Ginza, as well as the Bar OPA Monzen-Nakacho branch where I trained.