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Osaka welcomes sky-high Bar Bota
Bar Bota has opened on the 37th floor of Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, offering skyline views with Japanese-inspired cocktails.
Positioned as a ‘destination cocktail bar’, the space boasts wraparound panoramic city views from its spot on the hotel’s 37th floor, a centrepiece circular bar, and locally-inspired drinks with a menu of reimagined Japanese classics.
The name ‘Bota’ stems from local botanicals, which form much of the cocktail menu, designed by bar manager Andrei Marcu.
Combining familiar flavours with cutting-edge techniques, Marcu’s menu brings a modern twist on classic cocktails, with Japanese touches, while also celebrating Osaka’s local flora.
Highlights from the menu, titled ‘Heritage Sips’, start with the Dotonbori Slider; a crystal-clear creation inspired by the Japanese Slipper cocktail. Here, the drink takes the shape of a clarified milk punch with Midori, Lillet Blanc, Japanese ‘super citrus’ triple sec, pink peppercorn and minus cream, topped with a milk foam cracker for garnish. The bar says the cocktail ‘evokes fond memories’ of trips through the city’s Dōtonbori district.
The Matcha & Yuzu Highball then pays tribute to Japan’s fondness for Highballs. At Bota, Marcu builds on the cocktail’s typical base of Japanese whisky with an earthy matcha cordial and ‘zesty’ yuzu, enhancing these with Palo Cortado Sherry and smoky 10-year-old Talisker Scotch whisky.
For Martini fans, there is also the chilled Umeboshi Martini, which uses Japanese flavours in red ume-washed gin, bonito, and umami bitters, alongside Martini Bianco Vermouth.
Additionally other classic cocktails given a modern, Japanese update include Just Another Bloody Mary (made with Haku Vodka, cherry liqueur, Kid Sake, Sean’s Tomato Sauce, umami blend, sweet & sour mix and Japanese pickles) and the Sunset Margarita (combining Tequila and mezcal with Kyoho Liqueur, Lillet Blanc, calamansi cordial, mandarin, lime and Kyoho grape salt).
Bar Bota also offers non-alcoholic cocktails for those not imbibing, such the Tempered Edge (created with apple and wasabi cordial, and milkan juice) and The Art of Loom, which comprises a blend of oolong tea, sour fig whey, cherry cola redux and soy.
Beyond the cocktails, Bota is also home to a collection of spirits that emphasises Japanese labels to honour the country’s ‘traditional and contemporary distilling heritage’.
Bar Bota is open 8pm-12am from Sunday to Thursday, and 5pm-1am on Friday and Saturday.
In other recent Asia bar news, Tuxedo recently opened in Shanghai, but the Tipping Club in Singapore went the other way – due to close on 31 December after 17 years in operation.
For a wider look at the region’s cocktail scene, check out our Global Bar Report.
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