Roka and Chichibu distillery launch exclusive whisky for restaurant’s 20th anniversary

Japanese robatayaki restaurant Roka has partnered with Chichibu, a prominent Japanese whisky distillery, to release a special blended malt whisky. The launch, scheduled for the 9^th September, coincides with Roka’s 20^th anniversary and features the limited edition Chichibu x Hanyu Blended Malt Japanese Whisky. The bespoke liquor combines single malt from Chichibu with a rare cask from the now-defunct Hanyu distillery.

The whisky will be showcased at an exclusive dinner at Roka Mayfair on the launch day, and will also be available across all four Roka locations in London. The event at Roka Mayfair will include a whisky tasting, a masterclass on Chichibu’s whisky production by Global Brand Ambassador Yumi Yoshikawa, and a menu, served in the private dining room, that highlights Roka’s robatayaki signature cuisine paired with sake, wine and Japanese whisky cocktails.

Chichibu, established in 2008 by Ichiro Akuto, was the first new single malt distillery in Japan since the 1970s. Located in the Saitama prefecture, near the historic Hanyu distillery, Chichibu has access to some of the last stocks of Hanyu single malts, enabling them to produce sought-after blended whiskies.

The new whisky is described as having notes of caramel and hazelnut, with hints of stone fruit and silver jasmine, finishing with a touch of white peppercorn. It will be served in 25 ml and 50 ml measures exclusively at Roka’s restaurants in Charlotte Street, Mayfair, Canary Wharf, and Aldwych.

Attendees of the Mayfair dinner will receive a 200ml bottle of the whisky, a collector’s item not available for separate purchase. Tickets for the event are priced at £295, which includes the cost of the bottle.

The journey of the global restaurant group Azumi began in 2002 when chef Rainer Becker, alongside co-founder Arjun Waney, opened Zuma London. Just two years later, Roka London followed in 2004. Today, there are 22 Zuma restaurants and 11 Roka locations worldwide, with more on the horizon. In addition to the iconic Zuma and Roka concepts, Azumi expanded with the opening of Oblix at The Shard in London in 2013.

Food Desk

Photo: RusneDraz

For further information on Roka, visit the restaurant’s website. For purchasing tickets for the whisky and celebratory dinner, visit the dedicated webpage.