The second series of Nikka City Shakedown sees 50 Best travel to the cocktail hotspots of Naples, Melbourne, Kyoto, Chicago and Paris to meet some of the world’s leading bartenders. Each shows us where they source their secret ingredients before heading to their bar to make something fresh and delicious with Nikka Whisky
Take a look at what you can expect in season two of Nikka City Shakedown:
Naples with Alex Frezza of L'Antiquario
Frezza takes us for an espresso at his favourite authentic Neapolitan coffee joint before heading back to his bar, L’Antiquario – ranked No.46 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 – for a Tamburo, a coffee cocktail made with Nikka Coffey Malt. On the way, he explores thousands of years of culture, the art in Naples’ underground, stops for a view of Capri and genuflects to Napoli legend, Maradona.
Tamburo
50ml Nikka Coffey Malt
25ml Neapolitan espresso with sugar
25ml herbal, saffron liqueur
Melbourne with Hayden Lambert of Above Board
Lambert rides the tram to take us to some of his favourite bars in Melbourne’s buzzing CBD. He stops into Caretaker’s Cottage before swinging by his favourite Japanese food market to grab some rich green tea for his cocktail, Better Late Than Never, made with Nikka Coffey Malt back at his 50 Best Discovery-listed bar, Above Board.
Better Late Than Never
50 ml Nikka Coffey Malt
20ml Fresh lemon juice
7.5ml Rich sugar syrup
20ml Rich green tea
15 ml Apple and peach syrup
Kyoto with Keisuke Yamamoto and Toru Ariyoshi of Bee’s Knees
Yamamoto-san and Ariyoshi-san take us on a tour of historic Kyoto, once Japan’s capital, via’s its wildlife, scenery and millennia-old tradition. We visit their favourite tea seller in Nishiki Market to collect fresh-roasted Hoji green tea to take back to Bee’s Knees – No.47 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022 – which then gets stirred into their famous Kyo Manhattan with Nikka Coffey Malt.
Kyo Manhattan
40ml Nikka Coffey Malt, fat washed with yatsuhashi
10ml Kokuto liqueur
10ml White vermouth
10ml Milk-washed Hoji tea
Chicago with Julia Momosé of Kumiko
Momosé shows us round her adopted city of Chicago, with a guided tour along its Riverwalk, via the stunning Cloud Gate sculpture. She stops by to collect some single-origin Kodemari matcha from her favourite tea store before heading to Webster’s Wine Bar on her route back to Kumiko – No.25 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 – to make the Kodemari Latte with Nikka Coffey Malt.
Kodemari Latte
50ml Nikka Coffey Malt
75ml Matcha
5ml Kuromitsu syrup
10ml Oat milk
Paris with Guillaume Quenza of Fréquence
Quenza stops off at his favourite Parisian coffee shop before taking us to a few of his favourite bars near Place de la Bastille including Cambridge Public House. He then heads to market to collect ultra-fresh rhubarb to mix into his classic Michat at his 50 Best Discovery-listed neighbourhood bar, Fréquence.
Michat
30ml Nikka Coffey Malt
30ml Umeshu
30ml Rhubarb soda
The 15th edition of The World’s 50 Best Bars list, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced on Tuesday, 17th October 2023. To be the first to hear about the latest news and announcements, browse the website, follow us on Instagram, find us on Facebook, visit us on Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
