Potential master bartenders tour the Yamazaki Distillery. They meet Chen, a foreigner with ties to the area.
Episode 5 — “The First Drop”
Hmm. Bartender Glass of God Tasting Notes.
What is the primary ingredient in a distilled spirit that determines its flavor? It’s not the choice of grain, the barrel’s wood, or how long the liquor ages. It’s the water. World-famous distilleries have deep connections to the nearest river and the land and climate where they are. Bartender Glass of God stresses how the Yamazaki Distillery owes its taste to Kyoto’s relation to the rivers there and the air quality of Kyoto’s four seasons.
Scotland’s regions for whisky offer the best analog for how location affects the taste of whisky. Islay, Speyside, and Highland scotches vary in smokiness, sweetness, and spice. Similarly, Bardstown in Kentucky is the world bourbon capital, with nine renowned brands along The Bourbon Trail. You will find that all distilling centers have signature waterways next to them. The heavy lime content in Kentucky’s rivers accounts for the distinct sweetness of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Water, climate, and geography all affect how spirits taste, but it all starts with the water. Bartender Glass of God tells you that’s also true for beer and wine. But the thematic connection you need to make is how a region distills and ages a person, too.
In the previous episode, we saw Mr. Perfect (Kuzuhara) ask a favor from Mr. Kurushima. What was it? Kuzuhara asked the CEO for Chen to accompany his daughter and Sasakura on the Yamazaki Distillery tour. The promising young bartender had to embrace a regret from twelve years ago in Kyoto to advance as a Master. Sasakura isn’t the only one manipulating those around him through the “perfect” cocktail. In Chen’s case, he needed to imbibe a mixture of memories and perspective. That sounds like the Glass of God to me. Add a 12-year whisky, neat, and Chen opens himself to the “flavor of time.”
Highball Again for Bartender Glass of God?
Whisky, soda, and ice. The perfect drink for Mr. Perfect’s disciple, Mr. Robot, to make. We can refer to Bartender Glass of God’s first episode for how Sasakura mixed a highball for Miwa.
Whisky Neat.
Neat means preparing any cocktail without ice. Even one drop of water turns a simple shot of whisky into a mixed drink!
Tastes Good. Looks Good. No Complaints!
Yuri and Kyouko gave us comic relief with sweet, beautiful drunk talk, but I would like to know what put them in that state. Since they were barhopping in the shadow of the Yamazaki Distillery, I presume they sampled more whisky-based cocktails. Possibly variations on a Manhattan and an Old Fashioned. Unfortunately, we did not hear why orange wedges and mint sprigs were part of the mixed drinks. But according to Yuri, if it tastes good and looks good, no complaints!
Bartender Glass of God (Bartender: Kami no Glass) streams on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio and multiple language subtitles. Bartender (2006) also streams on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio and English subtitles.
Did you enjoy the more character-driven topic of this episode? I liked the anime version of a guided tour of the Yamazaki Distillery. However, I missed the meditations on how cocktail ingredients relate to a customer’s circumstances. Do you think Chen will try to find Chitose Takeya (the innkeeper’s daughter) and correct his regrets? Let us know in the comments below.
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