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Japanese whisky brand partners with billionaire ski resort
Last year, db predicted that opportunity was ripe for premium drinks brands to partner with Japanese ski resorts, with the country’s ‘après’ scene on the rise. Now one whisky brand has taken up the call, reports Sarah Neish.
Last February the drinks business reported that significant investment was being made in Japan’s ski scene in a bid to turn around the fortunes of the country’s much neglected après ski market.
Hong Kong billionaire Richard Li has poured more than $500 million into building a new luxury Park Hyatt hotel in ski hotspot Niseko, Hokkaido (rooms cost $1,200 per night) and reports suggest he has purchased land on a neighbouring mountain to build a second high-end property. Li has said he plans to hike ski lift ticket prices by 50% as part of a broader strategy to raise the profile and prosperity of the region.
In light of the recent cash injection, db predicted that drinks brands would soon be queuing up to secure listings at advantageous prices in Japan’s 475 ski resorts.
Now, db can report that Nikka whisky has struck up a partnership with Li’s Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono hotel.
Distilled an hour’s drive north of the hotel and with a growing international presence Nikka is offering an exclusive line-up of experiences for the Hyatt’s guests to explore its whisky-making. One of these is an in-depth tour of Nikka’s Yoichi Distillery and a personalised blending session with one of its team. A second experience involves a day trip to the distillery culminating in a culinary pairing with Nikka whiskies back at Park Hyatt’s Robata restaurant.
“We chose Nikka Whisky because of its deep ties to the region,” shared Paul Wright, general manager at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono.
In addition to the hotel’s expanding whisky repertoire, the bar at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono also offers more than 60 varieties of Japanese sake. According to Wright, the hotel also recently introduced locally-made Ohoro Gin into its beverage programme.
“We’ve seen a clear rise in interest for locally sourced wines, spirits, and bar items,” he told Forbes. “Guests are looking for authentic regional connections through their beverage choices and appreciate the stories behind these local spirits.”
Presently a smattering of international drinks brands feature on the menu of the hotel’s Robata restaurant. These include Ruinart NV Brut Blanc de Blanc, and still wines from France’s Château Lagrange and Domaine Olivier Jouan, Italy’s Isole e Olena, South Africa’s Hamilton Russell Vineyards and Australia’s Peccavi Estate.
Beers (both standard and alcohol-free versions) on the menu are currently produced by Asahi.
The ski season in Japan typically runs from December to April, but resorts in Hokkaido may open earlier. That leaves three months for premium drinks brands to get their products in front of Japanese skiiers, a move that looks likely to pay off if investment in the country’s ski resorts continues on this unprecedented scale.
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