Bar Bellustar Tokyo presents a pairing set.
The 11th installment features tacos made with Kagoshima ingredients. Available at Bar Bellustar starting Monday, January 12, 2026.
BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; General Manager: Katsushi Nishikawa) will offer the pairing set “Bellustar Journey ~Tsunuki Goto Whisky Experience~” at its 45th-floor main bar, Bar Bellustar, from Monday, January 12, 2026, to Sunday, March 15, 2026. This set features carefully selected spirits paired with ingredients nurtured by their unique terroir.
The 11th installment of this series exploring the marriage of spirits and locally sourced ingredients features Kagoshima, the birthplace of whisky.
1. Overview
“Bellustar Journey” is a pairing set created by our hotel’s bartenders and chefs, offering guests the pleasure of experiencing the marriage of spirits and ingredients nurtured by their local terroir.
Having been well-received since the hotel’s opening, this eleventh installment is a collaboration between Beverage Director Shigeki Yoshida and Restaurant Bellustar Chef Munehiro Takesue, guiding you on a journey to Kagoshima.The featured spirit is Tokyu Hotels’ original whisky, “Single Malt Tsunuki Special Edition Goto” (hereafter “Tsunuki Goto”).
This is the second original whisky following “Single Malt Komagatake Special Edition Goto,” distilled at the Mars Tsunuki Distillery (Minamisatsuma-City, Kagoshima Prefecture) by Hombo Shuzo Co., Ltd., which aims to create authentic whisky that embodies Japan’s terroir.
Beverage Director Shigeki Yoshida was also involved as a project member, participating in the barrel selection process.The food pairing features an item made with ingredients from Kagoshima, the birthplace of whisky.
We present Kagoshima black pork with the flavor of Satsuma miso in a taco style, perfect for casual, one-handed bar food enjoyment.
2. What is ‘Single Malt Tsunuki Special Edition Goto’?
Experience the full charm of “Tsunuki Goto,” which combines power and distinctive character. Savor it straight to appreciate the raw spirit, and enjoy it as a highball to experience its marriage with food.
Tsunuki Goto embodies the terroir of Tsunuki, Minamisatsuma-City, Kagoshima Prefecture. Its character is shaped by the warm climate and significant temperature fluctuations that create a rich, matured depth, combined with the softness imparted by the spring water from Mount Kurata.
Despite being heavily peated at 50ppm, it deeply incorporates elements Mars Tsunuki Distillery excels at: a sweet, soft finish of ripe fruit from Cognac casks.
Enjoy the cask-strength expression as it is, savoring the vibrant cognac cask aromas, deep finish, and rich peat notes. Alternatively, add a little water to open up the aromas and soften the palate, allowing for versatile customization based on preference or occasion.
7 years aged, 50ppm peat, 62% ABV Cask Strength Cognac cask
Bottle service is also available at select hotels.
・1 Shot
¥2,700~
・Bottle service (select hotels only)
¥53,000~
“This pairing set invites you to savor the authentic aroma and flavor of whisky straight or on the rocks, while also enjoying its full potential in a highball style.The smokiness, fruitiness, and robust body of ‘Tsunuki Goto’ expand when mixed with soda, creating a deep harmony with the pairing food: the savory aroma, fat, saltiness, umami, and spiciness of Kagoshima black pork, along with its lingering finish.”
(Beverage Director Shigeki Yoshida)
Shigeki Yoshida, Beverage Director
3. Pairing Food
Kagoshima Black Pork Confit with Barley Miso Condiment, Tacos Style
A dish that highlights the appeal of Kagoshima black pork, a gift from the same land that nurtured the whisky, richly cultivated by Kagoshima’s fertile soil.
Slow-cooked Kagoshima black pork confit is tossed in a barley miso-based condiment and wrapped in a tortilla for a taco-style presentation.
Accented with a salsa sauce featuring Kyushu’s signature yuzu pepper instead of chili, and complemented by smooth sour cream.
Enjoy a casual yet deeply satisfying flavor.
The soft sweetness of barley miso and the rich umami of premium black pork fat intertwine with the aroma of whisky, creating a harmonious unity unique to pairing.
4. Pairing Set
Sales Period: Monday, January 12, 2026 – Sunday, March 15, 2026
Price: ¥3,900 (tax and service charge included)
Contents: Pairing Set
・Single Malt Tsunuki Special Edition Goto
・Kagoshima Black Pork Confit with Barley Miso Condiment, Taco Style
Reserve here
5. Summary
Smoky whisky often pairs well with food, and when it’s a Tsunuki Distillery private bottling paired with a pairing devised by Mr. Shigeki Yoshida, you can’t help but have high expectations.
The price is also a welcome bonus, offered at ¥3,900 per shot instead of the usual ¥2,700.
This might be a good chance to enjoy a delicious meal while looking down on Shinjuku from the 45th floor.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
