Ep 11. The Water of Life

The Water of Life is the eleventh episode of season one of the Bartender series. In this episode, the protagonist, Ryu Sasakura, wanted to help his client, a famous photographer named Shima Kiyomi, who was going through a difficult time in his life. The client visited Ryu's bar looking for a rare Japanese whiskey, called "The Water of Life," which he learned about from a collector. During their conversation, Ryu realized that Kiyomi was dealing with a personal issue that was affecting his creativity.

To help Kiyomi, Ryu served him not only the rare Japanese whiskey he was seeking but also gave him guidance and shared a story about a former client, who was in a similar situation and was searching for a rare liquor. The story was about a Russian diplomat named Alexei who visited Ryu's bar seeking "White Crow," a rare vodka that he used to drink in his youth. Ryu used his skills as a bartender to create a cocktail that combined the taste of "White Crow" and the sweetness of Alexei's childhood memories.

The cocktail Ryu created for Alexei helped him remember the good times of his youth and gave him the confidence to reconcile his long-standing conflict with his father, who was also a diplomat. Ryu hoped that Kiyomi would also benefit from a similar experience and provided him with a unique cocktail that would remind him of something beautiful from his past.

While serving Kiyomi, Ryu shared his knowledge about the history of "The Water of Life" and how it was believed to have healing powers. Kiyomi opened up to Ryu, revealing that his life had become unfulfilling, and he had lost the passion he once had for his art. Ryu used his expertise to create a cocktail that brought back Kiyomi's childhood memories, which included drinking cold barley tea while playing soccer with his friends.

The cocktail made Kiyomi remember the joy he found in his art and how he wanted to capture that joy in his photography. The drink also had an emotional effect on the other patrons of the bar, highlighting the profound power that a well-made cocktail can have to heal and uplift.

Overall, The Water of Life is an excellent episode of the Bartender series, highlighting the ability of a bartender to be more than just a drink maker. Ryu Sasakura uses his bartending skills to help his clients heal emotional wounds and rediscover their passions and purpose in life. The episodes' focus on rare liquors adds an extra layer of intrigue and will entertain anyone interested in the history of spirits and cocktails.