Are you 18 years old or older?
Sorry, the content of this store can't be seen by a younger audience. Come back when you're older.
BAR TIMES STORE / EDITION 002
Product name: Quaglia Vermouth di Torino Superiore Rosso
After 16 years working behind the bar in Italy, Yusuke Nomiya chose this as a bottle he wants to introduce to Japan now.
At a glance: 750 ml · 18% alc./vol.
01 / The making — Wine, given time. A Barolo from the 2013 vintage was aged for 38 months. The base made from that wine then spent more than four years in oak before being blended with fresh white wine.
02 / The maker — A distillery with a history dating to 1890. Founded in Piedmont in 1890, the Quaglia distillery is now led by fourth-generation Carlo Quaglia. Its bottle reinterprets the classic form of a Turin vermouth bottle in a contemporary way, with a handmade detail at the neck produced by a nearby workshop.
03 / In the glass — Begin with ice. Nomiya suggests first tasting it on the rocks. From there, try it with soda or in a Negroni Sbagliato. It is his way of carrying a pre-dinner drink into the food and conversation that follow.
“An Italian aperitivo is a leisurely time before dinner to connect with someone important to you, or with yourself. It is a warm-up for the flavours and conversation of the meal that follows.”
— Yusuke Nomiya
Nomiya also introduced seven other bottles from five Italian labels as part of this project. The overview below presents all eight bottles, including EDITION 002, for international readers.
For 16 years, Nomiya worked behind counters in bars across Italy. He remembers people from different walks of life sharing a drink at the same counter. Returning to Japan, he chose to bring over the drinks he had encountered there, rather than open a bar of his own. He wants to convey the history of a place, the makers' approach, and a drink's place alongside food—not just the liquid in the bottle.
Alongside EDITION 002, the seven selected bottles form this eight-bottle overview.
Maker: Antica Distilleria Quaglia. Origin: Piedmont, Italy. 750 ml · 18% alc./vol. A vermouth built on a 2013 Barolo aged for 38 months. Its wine-derived base matured for more than four years in oak before being blended with fresh white wine. Nomiya's first suggestion is to taste it over ice.
Maker: Mazzetti d'Altavilla. Origin: Altavilla Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy. 700 ml · 48% alc./vol. The distillery known for grappa presented its first whisky in 2024, after more than three years in cask. Roasted malt and vanilla lead to a long, dry finish.
Maker: Antica Distilleria Quaglia. Origin: Piedmont, Italy. 750 ml · 18% alc./vol. Made with Cortese DOC wine. Floral aromas and notes reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg distinguish the Bianco from its Rosso counterpart.
Maker: Antica Distilleria Quaglia. Origin: Piedmont, Italy. 750 ml · 18% alc./vol. Barbera d'Asti DOCG and Cortese DOC wines provide the base; juniper, rhubarb, mint, and liquorice bring depth to the Rosso.
Maker: Antica Distilleria Quaglia. Origin: Piedmont, Italy. 700 ml · 20% alc./vol. Brazilian single-origin Arabica is roasted over birch wood, extracted as espresso at nine bars of pressure, then combined with aged brandy. Its coffee, cocoa, and caramel-like notes give way to a pleasant bitterness.
Brand: Servaj. Estate: Tenuta Sussambrino (Monferrato, Piedmont). 700 ml · 42% alc./vol. One of two botanical expressions from the estate. Poppy seed, juniper, sage, cocoa, vanilla, orange, mint, and cinnamon shape its aromatic profile.
Brand: Servaj. Estate: Tenuta Sussambrino (Monferrato, Piedmont). 700 ml · 44% alc./vol. The other Servaj expression draws on iris, juniper, elderberry, rose, lemon balm, sage, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and lavender. The producer describes floral notes and a smooth texture.
Brand: GinArte. Origin: Italy. 700 ml · 43.5% alc./vol. This gin brings together art and botanicals, with pomegranate aroma and a bottle that echoes the fruit's colour. The maker describes a silky texture and a fresh, lingering finish.
BAR TIMES STORE sells alcohol only within Japan. Please enjoy responsibly, and only if you are of legal drinking age.