I'm from Japan and like drinking so I think I can talk a bit abt this topic - Mizuwari is just an option of drinking strong alcohol the same with Shochu. It is not common for an intricate ritual as shown in this video - most places will just add water and ice, but it is an option available at most places. I guess the sensationalized thing in the West is more focused on the ritual aspect. I guess it's like all the rules people add to drinking alcohol to give it a high-end appeal of sophistication. The Tea Ceremony comment was a bit off. The tea is prepared in specific rooms and with specific tea bowls, which are akin to art. It may sound ridiculous for 5 cups of tea over hours, but would you not spend a few hours in, say, a museum and a performance of art? I don't get why it's weird when people will sip on alcohol for hours at a concert or theater setting.
Its great to get feedback from a Japanese native! The point I was trying to make with the tea ceremony was that its not just about the tea so I agree with you there - it's somewhere between performance art and meditation.
I actually have a tea ceremony building and garden display AT my local art museum, it's like cut open so you can see the whole layout as a display. There is one elsewhere that's actually a full building and outdoor garden but it's kinda hard to get in since it gets booked for the whole year like right away
If you thought that was diluted, Churchill used to drink multiple Scotch sodas throughout the day (along with other alcoholic drinks), with each pour being just enough Johnnie Walker Red to cover the bottom of the glass then filling the rest with soda water. I wonder if that way of drinking fell out of favour alongside the practice of day-drinking in the West.
Beat me too it!!! lol Just watched "The Liberal RedNecks" I think it was "Puttin on Airs" podcast talking about Churchills Whole Daily Drinking Routine.. Crazy how much he drank in every day.
@@lordgarth1why do you think he was only using a little and a massive amount of water? His reputation taints the context of this choice. It wasn’t about drinking whiskey. It was about getting rid of musty Thames water flavor
He'll yeah Bartender is literally the reason I got into mixing drinks. The way they tell the story of the drink and how he relates it to the patron made me fall in love with it
As a consummate liquor professional, a distiller and bottler, and long long long time booze salesman, I really appreciate your video. Thank you for this!
id just like to say as a trained bartender that Suntory Hibiki whiskey is the best whiskey ive ever had. that crisp woody taste and smell is just so good. real shame that its price keeps skyrocketing over here in NA. when i got my first bottle it was $70 for a fresh bottle now its $170. I am in AGONY
It's much like the old bourbon or "shine" and and branch water, provided you had access to the same water source that the distillery uses. Only with Bourbon and Branch water, the amount of water to whiskey is to taste. My grandfather used to make a drink similar to the Mizuwari all the time. He said he picked it up after being stationed in Japan after the war. He said it stretched out the his whiskey and the water opens the flavors up.
The Bartender anime. Yeah, I loved that, I watched that back in '06-'07. I was in college then. You triggered my nostalgia 😂 Your channel is criminally under viewed. I'm glad I stumbled onto it.
the algorithm approves this video. I watched it and I do too. Your production skills are pretty solid. This was informative and funny but nothing was too over the top. You seem like a cool guy, liked and supscriped. As a former whiskey enthusiast I do agree something about the ice melting really changes the flavor and keeps things interesting. I see this being worth a try.
I really appreciate that - especially the production! justifies how long i spend on it LOL. And it's true, even just a little water can completely change the whisky
Having just been to Japan I didn’t see or have Mizuwari anywhere, but they do offer Whiskey Highball basically everywhere that alcohol is served! It seems like it’s basically just the same thing but with soda or sparkling water instead of water or tea, I wonder what the historical correlation between the two is.
Exactly, only difference it the carbonated water. I'd be curious to know how the highball came out to the mizuwari too - maybe that'll be another video
highball usually also have lemon slices for a slight citrus taste. mizuwari might be only there in dedicated whiskey bars since it takes more effort to make. or maybe more popular in some regions, Tokyo is pretty much highballs all around
Note the original Bartender anime is in the mid-00's and the manga even earlier. The remake was this year, and the first episode changed from spotlighting mizuwari to highball - it shows how the times are changing, and the mizuwari is starting to show its age in this time.
As a big green tea guy who keeps loose leaf tea straight from Japan on hand at all times, best bet I’ll be trying the tea mizuwari (teazuwari?) tomorrow night.
Wow! This is really bringing back memories! I worked at a small bar in the early 90’s in Osaka. We only served beer or mizuwari. Our service was a lot more casual than what you did. Ice first, whiskey then some purified water and we’d stir 3 to 4 times. While doing this we would have to present the bottle and also pour the drinks in a certain fashion. I never encountered mixed drinks except I was able to get a margarita at a Mexican restaurant. Never heard of tea and whiskey, but I might try it.
In Japan, there is also another way that is favored to Mizuwari called Oyuwari, which instead of diluting whisky (or other spirits) with called or room temperature water it is diluted with hot water.
Instant subscribe! You have a fun personality and an ability to present good information in an entertaining way. Looking forward to you telling me what to enjoy next!
Picked up a few beers from 7/11 while in Japan. I don't know why I was looking for whiskey inside corner stores when I should have went to a bar or restaurant. I saw small bottles of jack daniels and other common ones along with many flavors of soju. For the tourists I'm assuming? I thought it was weird to see soju in Japan.
I bet Churchill would LOVE those! He was famous for drinking Johnny Walker Red and water. Like a half shot and quite alot of water. But he drank a brazilian of them a day lmao
@@MixingMediaYT he also drank several bottles of champagne a day. The smaller imperial size bottles. I think they were 500 ml or something. Not like what we are used to nowadays. But still that's alot of bubbly
Very enjoyable content. I sell wine, but when I'm not tasting or drinking wine, Suntory Toki and water (a lot of water) is my drink. Don't tell my coworkers please.
I subbed, but ONLY because I want to hear "The Count" impression. :D Great video! I drink whiskey and water pretty much any time I get a drink and never knew this was "a thing" apparently, I'm cultured.
I didn't genuinely start enjoying bourbon until i mixed it with club soda. Wasn't used to drinking it neat yet and the weaker flavor let me really take the time to dissect all the flavors in the liquor
@@MixingMediaYT there is sooo much better japanese whiskey out there than toki. Matsui sakura, hibiki harmony, NIkka whiskey, tenjaku pure malt, hakushu distillers reserve, and of course yamazaki (a bit overpriced and over hyped in my opinion, but still good)
Heyo, i don't watch anything alcohol related but here I am. Until the end of the video, I thought this was some big bartending channel, the quality, information, and editing is top tier. Keep at it dude!
Man, i saw the name and immediately got thrown back to high school and trusting that the megaupload file I'm about to download didn't have any viruses so i could get my manga and anime fix 😂 definitely going try the green tea version when i got the chance
Well nothing surprising here, the Japanese have a knack of turning a simple thing into an overly complicated thing to make it simple of a thing; for me though, I would just stick to brandy.
