PERHAPS MORE THAN any other people, the Japanese have mastered the subtle art of the bar. In Kyoto, where the giant beverage company Suntory has its most famous whisky distillery, in the suburb of Yamazaki, the bar has reached rare heights of sophistication, with a meditative introspection that seems to unconsciously match and complement the local whiskies. Japanese bartending is being imitated increasingly in the West, by barmen who marvel at the techniques and instruments that make it unique. Many now use elegant long spoons made only in Japan for mixing drinks, and several have even adopted the Japanese practice of...