A pour of Yamazaki for US$1,300!? The Japanese whisky bar in New York where you can try some of the rarest tipples – if you can get in
- Beatbox, a tiny hidden whisky bar in New York, follows the Japanese ‘you’ve got to know someone’ concept for entry, with one-hour-long reservations available
- From rare Yamazaki and Nikka to discontinued Karuizawa, it serves some of the most sought-after whiskies by the pour, or for up to US$14,000 per bottle
Fans of Japanese whisky don’t generally look for their beverage of choice in New York’s Chinatown. But soon they will.
Down an alley off the Bowery, behind a camouflaged door at the back of the popular yakitori spot Kono, is the pocket-sized Beatbox. On March 21, the whisky and vinyl den opens to the public. Or at least to guests who’ve dined at Kono or know someone who has.
The intimate, midcentury-modern-styled Beatbox follows the Japanese custom of ichigen-san okotowari, or “you’ve got to know someone”. Kono regulars, and friends of Kono regulars, will be given priority access to book the 100 sq ft (9 square metre) bar. New customers can try sending requests through Instagram.
“We are not trying to create artificial exclusivity,” says partner Selwyn Chan. He points to the intimacy of the space – the room can only accommodate groups of two to four people – as the reason to keep the guest list down.
The dimly lit, living-room-like bar pays tribute to 1960s Japan, with antique wood cabinetry, a brown velvet love seat and a grey shag rug.
