EVENT | "Planetarium Black Bar" Opens, Offering an Experience for All Senses
EVENT | A Mysterious Bar Appears for 5 Days Only!?
Experience "Planetarium Black Bar" with All Five Senses
From Wednesday, May 21st to Sunday, May 25th, a limited-time bar called "Planetarium Black Bar," hosted by Kirin Beer/Kirin Diageo's Scotch whisky "JOHNNIE WALKER," opened in Aoyama, Tokyo. This event created an extraordinary experience of enjoying whisky in a fantastical space where 10 million stars shine. We introduce the full picture of this mysterious special bar, known to the approximately 900 fortunate invitees.
Photographs by JAMANDFIX
Text by TOMIYAMA Eizaburo
A Sky Full of Stars Emerges from the Darkness, Unveiling Layered Aromas
Following the narration by planetarium creator Takayuki Ohira, close your eyes and count to ten. Then, slowly open your eyes to find the venue filled with 10 million stars. As the planetarium show begins with exclamations of awe, the beautiful sound of ice clinking in glasses of Johnnie Walker echoes from somewhere. This is a magical moment from "JOHNNIE WALKER presents Planetarium Black Bar," which appeared for five days only at Spiral Hall in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo.
A fantastical planetarium by "MEGASTAR"
A table set with original coasters and candles
Johnnie Walker's great appeal lies in its complex aromas, reminiscent of fruits like apple and fig, the sweetness of caramel and honey, and a unique smokiness. This is made possible by the exceptional blending of skilled master blenders. The base spirits are various high-quality whiskies produced across Scotland. This dram, which allows you to savor rich flavors by drawing out the individuality of each distillery, is loved worldwide as the world's No. 1 Scotch whisky brand.
The "Planetarium Black Bar" was conceived to allow guests to sharpen their senses and appreciate the charms of Johnnie Walker. In the darkness and extraordinary space, guests could refine their sense of smell and taste to enjoy the diverse aromas and deep flavors unique to Johnnie Walker. And to do so while watching a planetarium show – it was truly a dreamlike experience.
The bar counter, illuminated by the darkness, was always bustling.
Cocktails seemed to be particularly popular among the women.
The "MEGASTAR" developed by Takayuki Ohira was brought into the venue, projecting the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. The Milky Way stretched across, shooting stars fell, and finally, an aurora appeared. This was layered with the history of Johnnie Walker, who sought global expansion by entrusting the sale of square bottles of whisky to captains setting sail. The stars, unseen in the Northern Hemisphere, that sailors might have witnessed traveling from Scotland to various parts of the world. In such a romantic space, visitors enjoyed Johnnie Walker in their own unique ways.
Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old
Original cocktails created for the occasion
The whisky served at the venue was "Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old." In addition to standard ways of enjoying it such as straight, on the rocks, with water, highball, and twin half, special cocktails were also available at the bar.
These included the "Orange Peel Highball," offering a fresh orange aroma; the "Honey Lemon Highball," with a clean, refreshing taste; the "Johnnie Walker Bannockburn ~with tomato juice and pepper~," a smoky and addictive adult flavor; and the "Johnnie Walker with Tea and Apple Mousse ~tea highball with apple espuma~," which combined the fruitiness of apple with the flavor of black tea. Furthermore, a food platter was served, featuring nuts, roasted almonds, smoked cheese, dried fruits, flavored rusks, and flavored chocolates.
All guests, regardless of gender, were thoroughly satisfied with this hospitality. It is likely that everyone experienced the diverse aromas and flavors of Johnnie Walker more deeply than ever before.
Between planetarium shows, there was also a sand art performance. Here, the history of Johnnie Walker, embodying the spirit of never forgetting to move forward, was clearly expressed through animation-like movements. Additionally, at the entrance, a photo space with the theme "WHERE FLAVOUR IS KING: Welcome to the Kingdom of Aroma." was set up. It was another extraordinary experience to pose as the Striding Man character, surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women holding various flavors. From beginning to end, it was a luxurious, fantastical, and stylish occasion.
This "Planetarium Black Bar" is the first installment of "JOHNNIE WALKER presents BLACK BAR," and more limited-time bars with unique concepts are planned to open elsewhere. Perhaps you too can savor the aromas of Johnnie Walker in the darkness at the next opportunity?