Founded in London a decade ago by sound engineer-turned-entrepreneur Paul Noble, Spiritland is a multi-faceted endeavour comprising a listening café, bar and radio studio in the city’s King’s Cross neighbourhood, a headphone bar in the Mayfair area (which has now closed), and a production company, all rooted in a deep love of music and the culture that surrounds it. Since a few months, Spiritland has expanded abroad, opening two music bars in the heart of Lisbon—Spiritland Lisbon and The Kissaten, the venue on which we’ll focus in this post. Mind you, both establishments are situated situated on the premises of Locke de Santa Joana, the newly opened property of British aparthotel chain Locke, and are part of no less than four bars opening at the property.

As it name already implies, The Kissaten is inspired by Japan‘s niche listening bar scene where music-loving urban dwellers sit back and relax over a drink or two, and sees an intimate design-led setting designed by Spiritland‘s in-house design team. Embedded in the elongated bar is a high-quality sound system which comprises a bespoke four-channel, 12-input rotary mixer made by Can Electric. A high-quality signal path and distinctive design, featuring the Spiritland roundels, creates a focal point for the bar. The EMT 948 turntables, which were originally used at London’s iconic night haunt Plastic People, have found a new home here. The main stereo speakers are three-way horn-loaded loudspeakers by Klipsch Cornwall, and further sound reinforcement comes from Lambda Labs speakers.

The elaborate selection of vinyl from all eras and genres, and records can be picked by The Kissaten‘s patrons and are played in full. And that’s not all. The Kissaten‘s menu, supervised by whisky expert, writer, and journalist Dave Broom, lists the Portuguese capital’s largest selection of whisky with over 100 bottles. Unsurprisingly, the bar has an extensive collection of Japanese whiskies, including revered names such as Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu and Nikka, showcasing the craftsmanship and tradition behind Japan’s finest distilleries. Additionally, there’s a range of top Scotch whiskies from renowned distilleries such as Macallan, Glenfiddich and Ardbeg, and a robust selection of American bourbons and ryes, including premium offerings from Michter’s, Rittenhouse and Uncle Nearest. © superfuture