Virtù sits on the 39th floor of Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, and the city spreads out below its windows. Design Studio Spin gave the 60-seat room an Art Deco look with French and Japanese influences. It is dark, it is formal, and the view is a large part of the draw.
The drinks follow the same idea. Head Bartender Keith Motsi builds the programme around French spirits, Japanese ingredients and Japanese technique, and behind the bar is a collection of rare cognacs, fruit eau de vie, shochu and whisky. The result is a French cocktail tradition, worked through Japanese method.
The house vermouth is the clearest example. Virtù makes its own, in three styles, and puts it at the centre of the cocktail menu: Sèche is dry, Shiro is white and Aka is sweet. All three start with Koshu and Merlot wines from Katsunuma, in Yamanashi, infused with botanicals and blended with locally produced brandy. It is a European drink, made from Japanese grapes.
The menu borrows from European fables and Japanese stories, which gives the bar a lighter touch than the room suggests. There is live music, too, along with guest bartender takeovers and private tastings. Events and hours change, so check the current programme before going.
Who it suits
This is a polished hotel bar, not somewhere to drop in for a quick, casual drink. It suits anyone who wants to settle in for a proper cocktail with the city in view, and who doesn't mind that the setting is a business-district hotel, not a back-street bar.
