The malt raw material was brewed and distilled at Helios Brewery and Kyoda Distillery in 2018 and aged for 3 years.
It is released as a Japanese whisky following the previous release, Okinawa’s first single malt whisky, “Kyoda Cask Strength 2020”. This new release will be a single cask and limited to 556 bottles.
The label design features a background that recreates the pre-dawn atmosphere of the mountainous area near the distillery, and the name of the product, adopted from the distillery’s place name “Kyoda” is expressed in strong brush strokes.
The package and label are almost the same as the previous one, and the design is hard to distinguish unless you look closely. The taste is quite different, though, so it would have been nice to have a new design.
It is already sold out at the official online store.
1. Manufacturer
Helios Sake Brewery Co.
| Established | 1961 |
| Headquarters location | 405 Kyoda, Nago City, Okinawa 905-0024, Japan |
| Owned distillery | Helios Brewery Distillery |
2. Distillery
Kyoda Distillery
| Location | 405, Kyoda, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture 905-0024, Japan |
| Start of operation | 2016 (Whiskey production resumed) |
Helios Brewery, which currently has six different liquor licenses, is developing a wide variety of products under the motto “Liquor entertainer rooted in the community” in pursuit of brewing sake that will last a hundred years.
The first thing we want to focus on in sake brewing is water. In search of rich nature and pure water, we arrived at Kyoda, Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture. Surrounded by the Yambaru forest, which has been around since ancient times, Kyoda has been called the “City of Water”. The Yambaru region, which is humid all year round, receives a lot of rainfall, and the rain that falls on the forest soaks deep into the ground, storing minerals in the soil, and is slowly released into the rivers. Helios Sake Brewery’s sake is brewed using pure natural water from the upper reaches of the river that runs behind the brewery.
Its representative product is “Kura” an old Awamori sake that has been on the market for 30 years since 1991 and is still a long seller.
The company also sells whisky under the same name.
■ Main History
1961 Taiyo Brewing Company was established in Naha City. Produced rum made from sugar cane grown in Okinawa.
1963 Start of whisky production
1969 Changed the company name to Helios Brewery Co.
1972 Moved the head office and factory to the current location in Kyoda, Nago City
1991 Utilizing the barrel-aging technology cultivated in the Western-style alcohol business, the company released “Kura” an old-style Awamori aged in oak barrels.
We are a sake brewer with a long history. Click here for detailed history.
Image credit: Helios Brewery official website
For more information on the Huda Distillery, please see also.
https://jpwhisky.net/manufacturer/herios/
3. Product name and photo
KYODA Single Cask 2021 Cask No.4248 
4. Characteristics
This release is a “single cask” , limited to 556 bottles
Peat malt from the UK This single malt Japanese whisky is made from malt whisky that was prepared and distilled at the Huda Distillery in 2018, and matured in white oak barrels for three years.
Cask No.4248 is characterized by a deep flavor that is revealed when the malt-derived flavors are further refined by the character of the cask. It has a smoky aroma of peat malt on the nose, followed by a rich and deep maturing aroma. In the mouth, the deep richness of the malt spreads out and the lingering sweet aroma of the barrel can be enjoyed for a long time.
Reference: Helios Brewery Online Shop
4-1. Tasting Notes
Nose Floral, elegant, melon, vanilla, brown sugar. Taste Fruity, mildly sweet, chocolate, salty Aftertaste After the sweetness, a hint of salty peaty aroma goes through the nose. 4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 56.8% |
| alcohol category | Single malt Japanese whisky |
| Barrel type | White oak barrels |
| Contents | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | 556 bottles |
| Suggested retail price | 15,950 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | December 31, 2021 |
Awards received
No awards have been received at this time.
6. Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| Product Name | KYODA Single Cask 2021 Cask No.4248 |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | Tax included: 15,950 yen |
6-2. Resale price on Mercari
The resale price on Mercari is 29,000 yen The resale price on Mercari was confirmed to be 1. (*As of January 24, 2022)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
The product does not appear to be currently on sale at Yahoo Auction. (*As of January 24, 2022)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
Not available on mail order sites. (*As of January 24, 2022)
6-5. Price offered at BAR SHINKAI
Bar Shinkai, which is operated by this website, offers 1 cup, 45ml: 4,620 yen 30ml: 3,080 yen, 15ml: 1,540 yen We also offer small quantities such as
https://en.jpwhisky.net/about-2/barshinkai-4/
7. Summary
The previous “Kyoda Cask Strength 2020” had a strong peaty flavor that made me think it was an Islay. The current “Kyoda Single Cask 2021” has a different taste, with a fruity and sweet finish.
The peat was just a little bit in the aftertaste, and it was sweet from aroma to taste, with a slight saltiness coming out later.
I was surprised to find that the taste was so different, even though both the previous and current releases were aged for three years and were cask strength.
The official description of this cask says that it was carefully selected by Master Blender Shigetomo Terukina, but I feel that this cask has tremendous potential. I personally think this is a distillery that deserves more attention.
Keep an eye out for future releases.
Please take a look at the other articles about “Kyoda”.
https://jpwhisky.net/kyoda-cask-strength-2020-1716/
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
