Oct 18, 2019, 5:22 pm
Last edit by: armagebedar
This thread is about where to find whiskey in Japan. Extended discussion about where to find Japanese whiskey elsewhere is off topic and will be removed.
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FlyerTalk is not a marketplace and nothing may be offered for sale or barter. The exception to this rule is those items in the Coupon Connection (C.C.) Forum, which is governed by specific posting rules, and access to which is granted once you have achieved 180 posts and 180 days as a member.
Consolidated "Buy Whiskey in Japan" thread (was: Haneda/Narita Duty Free Whiskey)
Nov 17, 2017, 2:50 pm
#676
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Kobe/Osaka
Programs: Delta
Posts: 1,587
A recent article about a topic near and dear to most everyone's heart on this thread, Japanese whiskey. Specifically, where to get good deals by buying at second hand stores.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/japane...nd-time-around
https://www.thedailybeast.com/japane...nd-time-around
Nov 18, 2017, 3:20 am
#677
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
A recent article about a topic near and dear to most everyone's heart on this thread, Japanese whiskey. Specifically, where to get good deals by buying at second hand stores.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/japane...nd-time-around
https://www.thedailybeast.com/japane...nd-time-around
Nov 24, 2017, 4:43 pm
#678
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Have to go to Singapore next week. Managed to add a quick overnight in Tokyo on the way home staying at the HR Shinjuku to snag some of my favorite things including Hibiki 17. Will basically have next Friday night / Saturday morning to find (ideally) some Hibiki 17 to replenish my stock and anything else interesting (but Hibiki 17 is the big prize)
What's the best area to focus my search on this time around?
What's the best area to focus my search on this time around?
Nov 24, 2017, 6:20 pm
#679
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
Shinjuku Isetan had mini bottles of Yamazaki 12 for JPY789 each, limit two per customer. Early this year had each bottle in a bag with Hibiki 17 but no more. Some other offerings but didn't pay close attention. Overheard another customer asking if that's the only Japanese whisky they had and tried hard to keep from cracking up.
One of the Ginza department stores (can't remember if it was Mitsukoshi or another nearby) had Nikka 12 for ~JPY6500 but it was for delivery only as a boxed gift.
One of the Ginza department stores (can't remember if it was Mitsukoshi or another nearby) had Nikka 12 for ~JPY6500 but it was for delivery only as a boxed gift.
Nov 24, 2017, 9:34 pm
#680
Moderator, Delta Skymiles and Mileage Run
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Seat 2A
Programs: DL Diamond/MM, Hyatt Diamond, former AS MVPG 75K, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,940
Nov 25, 2017, 7:16 am
#681
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
Have to go to Singapore next week. Managed to add a quick overnight in Tokyo on the way home staying at the HR Shinjuku to snag some of my favorite things including Hibiki 17. Will basically have next Friday night / Saturday morning to find (ideally) some Hibiki 17 to replenish my stock and anything else interesting (but Hibiki 17 is the big prize)
What's the best area to focus my search on this time around?
What's the best area to focus my search on this time around?
Nov 25, 2017, 11:17 am
#682
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
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Honestly, you're not likely to find anything at reasonable prices in Tokyo. If it's for your own consumption, try to get a few minis -- the loft in Shibuya usually has (and did have last week) Hibiki 17 and Yamazaki 12. You can swing by Liquor Mountain in Shinjuku, on the off chance that they have a regular sized bottle of Hakushu 12, or (more likely), Nikka 12. Japan has become a horrible place to buy Japanese whiskey; there just isn't much availability, and what little there is is horribly overpriced. In fact, prices have become so eye-watering that you can occasionally find better deals in hotel minibars that haven't had price lists updated recently -- I spotted a bottle of Hibiki 12 (!) at 980 yen last week.
Got my bottle last year thanks to some awesome FTers on this thread who pointed me to some small shop near Ginza so open to any ideas - definitely don't want to break the bank but honestly in NC, the best I can hope to do is $250-299 plus shipping (no one in the state carries it) so that's my upper limit.
Nov 26, 2017, 1:03 am
#683
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: TPA
Programs: WP
Posts: 372
Shinjuku Isetan had mini bottles of Yamazaki 12 for JPY789 each, limit two per customer. Early this year had each bottle in a bag with Hibiki 17 but no more. Some other offerings but didn't pay close attention. Overheard another customer asking if that's the only Japanese whisky they had and tried hard to keep from cracking up.
One of the Ginza department stores (can't remember if it was Mitsukoshi or another nearby) had Nikka 12 for ~JPY6500 but it was for delivery only as a boxed gift.
One of the Ginza department stores (can't remember if it was Mitsukoshi or another nearby) had Nikka 12 for ~JPY6500 but it was for delivery only as a boxed gift.
thanks for the heads up, just got 2 minis of Yamazaki at Isetan Shinjuku
Nov 26, 2017, 6:50 am
#684
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
Disappointing but not surprising. I'll try the mini approach and if anyone else sees this before next Friday and has any pointers let me know.
Got my bottle last year thanks to some awesome FTers on this thread who pointed me to some small shop near Ginza so open to any ideas - definitely don't want to break the bank but honestly in NC, the best I can hope to do is $250-299 plus shipping (no one in the state carries it) so that's my upper limit.
Got my bottle last year thanks to some awesome FTers on this thread who pointed me to some small shop near Ginza so open to any ideas - definitely don't want to break the bank but honestly in NC, the best I can hope to do is $250-299 plus shipping (no one in the state carries it) so that's my upper limit.
FWIW, I just swung by the Tenjin Loft a couple hours ago, and they had ample stock of Hak/Yam 12 and Hibiki 17 minis:
The BIC Camera a block away had some stock last week, but was completely out of minis today. They did have full size bottles of Nikka 12, though, at a reasonable (nowadays) 5500 yen.
I then walked back to my hotel via a second hand store in Nakasu. They had seven full-size bottles of Yamazaki 12 (at 12k yen) and one bottle of Hibiki 17 (at 14k yen). As pointed out above, there may be concerns that the product is fake -- I wouldn't give away one of these bottles as a gift, and at 10,780 yen for 14 minis of Yamazaki 12 and 13,275 yen for 14 minis of Hibiki 17, you're better off buying minis for your own consumption. (The 770 and 885 yen prices, respectively, are on the high side, but at least Loft has decent stock).
This is Fukuoka, btw, so won't help with your quest in Tokyo, but just to give an idea of what's out there. The Shibuya Loft had comparable stock last week.
ETA: I hate the FT software update. No idea why it's cutting off my picture.
Nov 26, 2017, 8:19 am
#685
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Posts: 10,130
Wait, what? $250 for Hibiki 17? That's outrageous!
FWIW, I just swung by the Tenjin Loft a couple hours ago, and they had ample stock of Hak/Yam 12 and Hibiki 17 minis:
The BIC Camera a block away had some stock last week, but was completely out of minis today. They did have full size bottles of Nikka 12, though, at a reasonable (nowadays) 5500 yen.
I then walked back to my hotel via a second hand store in Nakasu. They had seven full-size bottles of Yamazaki 12 (at 12k yen) and one bottle of Hibiki 17 (at 14k yen). As pointed out above, there may be concerns that the product is fake -- I wouldn't give away one of these bottles as a gift, and at 10,780 yen for 14 minis of Yamazaki 12 and 13,275 yen for 14 minis of Hibiki 17, you're better off buying minis for your own consumption. (The 770 and 885 yen prices, respectively, are on the high side, but at least Loft has decent stock).
This is Fukuoka, btw, so won't help with your quest in Tokyo, but just to give an idea of what's out there. The Shibuya Loft had comparable stock last week.
ETA: I hate the FT software update. No idea why it's cutting off my picture.
FWIW, I just swung by the Tenjin Loft a couple hours ago, and they had ample stock of Hak/Yam 12 and Hibiki 17 minis:
The BIC Camera a block away had some stock last week, but was completely out of minis today. They did have full size bottles of Nikka 12, though, at a reasonable (nowadays) 5500 yen.
I then walked back to my hotel via a second hand store in Nakasu. They had seven full-size bottles of Yamazaki 12 (at 12k yen) and one bottle of Hibiki 17 (at 14k yen). As pointed out above, there may be concerns that the product is fake -- I wouldn't give away one of these bottles as a gift, and at 10,780 yen for 14 minis of Yamazaki 12 and 13,275 yen for 14 minis of Hibiki 17, you're better off buying minis for your own consumption. (The 770 and 885 yen prices, respectively, are on the high side, but at least Loft has decent stock).
This is Fukuoka, btw, so won't help with your quest in Tokyo, but just to give an idea of what's out there. The Shibuya Loft had comparable stock last week.
ETA: I hate the FT software update. No idea why it's cutting off my picture.
And agreed $250-300 for Hibiki 17 is more than I'm willing to pay but since our NC ABC stores don't carry it's the minimum you can pay to realistically source it in NC (hence my desire to try and replenish my stock during my time in Tokyo).
Nov 28, 2017, 9:44 am
#687
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 181
Came back this weekend with a bottle of hibiki 17. Ordered through amazon by a friend working on osaka and shipped to my hotel. Paid around 18k. Notably the first store they ordered from would not ship it to a hotel, but the second one did.
Dec 1, 2017, 8:32 am
#688
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
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Mostly a miss for me here on night #1. Did a tour through Ginza after grabbing dinner. Department stores were mostly wiped clean, checked out Shinanoya and Sake no Sokuhai (two places recommended to me last spring when I was here). Sake no Sokuhai had a great selection but only Hibiki 17 in the fancy bottle at an outrageous 58k (got my Hibiki 17 in a regular bottle from them last year for 12.8k).
Will check out Liquors Hasegawa tomorrow (both of them) before I head out and maybe a couple others. I did check out 3 Liquor Mountains, 1 in Shinjuku, 2 in the Ginza area. The 2 in Ginza had 2017 Yamazaki LE for 15k so I decided to get one in case I strike out on the Hibiki. Didn't have my passport so they charged me tax which put it at 16.2k which isn't terrible.
Still holding out hope I can find 17 minis or bottles tomorrow somewhere.
Maybe should have Amazon Japan or Rakuten'd it to my hotel but oh well.
Will check out Liquors Hasegawa tomorrow (both of them) before I head out and maybe a couple others. I did check out 3 Liquor Mountains, 1 in Shinjuku, 2 in the Ginza area. The 2 in Ginza had 2017 Yamazaki LE for 15k so I decided to get one in case I strike out on the Hibiki. Didn't have my passport so they charged me tax which put it at 16.2k which isn't terrible.
Still holding out hope I can find 17 minis or bottles tomorrow somewhere.
Maybe should have Amazon Japan or Rakuten'd it to my hotel but oh well.
Dec 1, 2017, 9:49 pm
#689
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TYO
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,744
Mostly a miss for me here on night #1. Did a tour through Ginza after grabbing dinner. Department stores were mostly wiped clean, checked out Shinanoya and Sake no Sokuhai (two places recommended to me last spring when I was here). Sake no Sokuhai had a great selection but only Hibiki 17 in the fancy bottle at an outrageous 58k (got my Hibiki 17 in a regular bottle from them last year for 12.8k).
Will check out Liquors Hasegawa tomorrow (both of them) before I head out and maybe a couple others. I did check out 3 Liquor Mountains, 1 in Shinjuku, 2 in the Ginza area. The 2 in Ginza had 2017 Yamazaki LE for 15k so I decided to get one in case I strike out on the Hibiki. Didn't have my passport so they charged me tax which put it at 16.2k which isn't terrible.
Still holding out hope I can find 17 minis or bottles tomorrow somewhere.
Maybe should have Amazon Japan or Rakuten'd it to my hotel but oh well.
Will check out Liquors Hasegawa tomorrow (both of them) before I head out and maybe a couple others. I did check out 3 Liquor Mountains, 1 in Shinjuku, 2 in the Ginza area. The 2 in Ginza had 2017 Yamazaki LE for 15k so I decided to get one in case I strike out on the Hibiki. Didn't have my passport so they charged me tax which put it at 16.2k which isn't terrible.
Still holding out hope I can find 17 minis or bottles tomorrow somewhere.
Maybe should have Amazon Japan or Rakuten'd it to my hotel but oh well.
Dec 1, 2017, 10:26 pm
#690
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Went to Liquors Hasegawa first thing this morning and was able to score a full bottle at 17.8k limited to just 1 (they had 4).
Went to lunch in Shinjuku and wandered through all the places there on the way back to hotel. Hit the jackpot at BIC Shinjuku (East I believe - went to all 3 and only 1 had). They had about 21 minis at 830Y each and limited me to 15 (aka one full bottles worth) which came out to 12.4k. Happy camper here basically ended up with 2 bottles at an average of 15.6k plus the 2017LE Yamazaki I snagged yesterday.
Thanks everyone here for the tips and pointers as always!