2. Whisky Distilleries in Tohoku Region

2. Tohoku Region

2-1. Nikka Whisky Miyagikyo Distillery

It has been about 30 years since Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, the father of Japanese whisky, opened the first distillery in Yoichi, Hokkaido. Masataka Taketsuru, who believes that “blending multiple unsavoured liquors born in different distilleries makes whisky more flavorful and richer,” began to move in search of a new distillery construction site.

This area near the prefectural border with Yamagata is a lush gorge blessed with two clear streams, the Hirose River and shin River. When Taketsuru visited this area for the first time, he broke the Black Nikka he had in the clear stream of Shinkawa and drank it to check the taste. It is said that the distillery was decided on the spot.

image source：Miyagikyo Distillery | NIKKA WHISKY

image source：Miyagikyo Distillery | NIKKA WHISKY

Representative whisky from Miyagikyo Distillery

【ニッカウヰスキー仙台工場　宮城峡蒸溜所】アクセス・営業時間・料...

ニッカウヰスキー仙台工場　宮城峡蒸溜所の観光情報 営業期間：公開日：9:00〜11:30 、12:30〜15:00 (予約優先制)　※売店9:15〜16:30（最終入場時間16:15）、交通アクセス：(1)仙山線作並駅から徒歩約40分　※土

www.jalan.net

2-2. Kinryu Yuza Distillery

Japanese whisky of the highest quality that the world admires is here from Yamagata.

Kinryu Co., Ltd., which operates Yuza Distillery, was founded in 1950 as a joint venture between nine sake manufacturers in Yamagata Prefecture, producing neutral spirits called brewing alcohol and producing  shochu made with continuous distiller.

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Kinryu is yamagata’s only manufacturer specializing in shochu, but when considering the decline in the consumption of shochu and sake and the problems of yamagata prefecture’s population, the whisky business was a new business for the future.

“YUZA First Edition 2022” was released in February 2022.

“YUZA First Edition 2022” was born with a strong belief that “we will mature until we are satisfied” and “focus on sending out only products that conform to the definition of Japanese whisky” . The time of dawn has finally come.

[Review] YUZA First Edition 2022

Yuza First Edition, the long-awaited first release, has finally been released by Yusa Distillery. A review is provided.

en.jpwhisky.net

At the Whisky Festival held in 2019, several new makeups from Yuza Distillery were unveiled.

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2-3. Sasanokawa Sake Brewery Asaka Distillery

Sanokawa Shuzo, which operates Azumi Distillery, is a long-established sake brewery founded in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture in 1765 and has been manufacturing for about 250 years, and although it obtained a whisky production license in 1946, shortly after the war, and was producing whisky until around 1980, but the distillation of raw sake was stopped due to the sluggish domestic market.

In response to the rekindle of the whisky boom since the 2010s, we decided to establish a full-fledged malt whisky distillery in 2015 and purchased a steel of Miyake Seisakusho that can be delivered within a year. The following year, in 2016, we decided to resume distillation of undrawed sake at Azumi Distillery, which introduced facilities in the brewery.
In December 2019, Asaka Distillery, tohoku’s oldest craft whisky, launched its first single malt, Azumi The First, after restarting operations.

image source：Asaka Distillery Oficial Facebook

The products on display at the Whisky Festival 2019 included the “Yamasakura Series” made from barrels stored in the past, as well as new pots and Newborns made at the Azumi Distillery.

Representative whisky of Asaka Distillery

2-4. Dreamlink Akita Distillery

Restaurant chain Dreamlink announced that it will build a distillery for whisky from Akita Prefecture on the outskirts of Akita City. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2022 and be completed in the same year, with shipments scheduled for 2025.
The planned construction site is 38,500 square meters, including private land around the former Iwami Elementary School site, which is about 30 minutes by car from Akita Station and Akita Airport. How much of this will be used has not been decided, and the size of the site and buildings has not been decided so far.
The construction cost of the distillery is assumed to be about 400 to 500 million yen. Some of the funds will be procured through crowdfunding. The company aims to produce 21,000 liters of whisky per year. After that, it seems that the plan is to invest several hundred million yen more in business expenses and to establish tourist facilities including restaurants and accommodation facilities at the same time.
Supervised by the owner and bartender “Kenichi Sato” of “BAR Le Vert” in Akita City.

Whisky Distillery, Dreamlink | on the outskirts of Akita City Nikkei Shimbun

2-5. Tatenokawa Shuzo Gakkogawa Distillery

Tatenokawa Shuzo Corporation, famous for its sake “Tatenokawa”, has established a whisky business subsidiary (Gakkogawa Distillery Corporation) and will operate Gakkogawa Distillery.

The distillery plans to produce classical, authentic, high quality single malt “Shonai-produced whisky” utilizing the abundant water from the Gakkogawa River system and the delicate technology cultivated through sake brewing.

As for equipment, a stainless steel thermal tank with temperature control is used for the fermentation tank. Pot stills are manufactured by Miyake Seisakusho.

Distillation is scheduled to begin in September 2023, with single malt to be released around 2027 and blended whisky around 2024.
The daily brewing volume is 400 kg of malt, and the company aims to produce 60,000 liters per year with 250 brewing cycles.

The planned distillery construction site is in Yuza-machi, Akumi-gun, Yamagata Prefecture. There is already a “Yuza Distillery” of Kinryu Co. in Yuza Town, and it seems that they intend to work together to make Yuza Town a whisky town.

Image Exhibit: TATENOKAWA SHUZO to Produce “Japanese Whisky” Utilizing Delicate Sake Brewing Techniques / TATENOKAWA SHUZO to Establish Whisky Manufacturing Subsidiary and Start Opening Gakkogawa Distillery｜PR TIMES

2-6. Naｍbu Bijin Co.  Distillery name unknown.

The brewery, famous for its sake Nanbu Bijin, begins production. It will be the first craft whiskey distillery in Iwate Prefecture.

Obtained spirits manufacturing license in 2021; obtained whiskey manufacturing license in 2023.

Nanbu Bijin Craft Gin won a gold medal at the Tokyo Whiskey & Spirits Competition 2022. As for whiskey production, it has already started in 2023 and will make a big announcement in 2024.

2-7. Dewa Dewa Distillery

The distillery is surrounded by a majestic mountain range that belongs to a national park in Yamagata Prefecture and is surrounded by pristine forests in an abundance of nature. The majestic nature circulates water and blesses the surrounding area.

Not much information is available on the distillery as if it is not yet completed, and the building appears to be a reuse of a building that was previously used for another purpose.

2-8.Tenkyo Co. Tenkyo Distillery

Bandai, a famous mountain. Bandai, an active volcano, is a cradle of harsh yet magnificent nature, rich in seasonal changes. Tenkagami Distillery was completed at the foot of Mt.

The distillery is located near the Bandai Nishiyamaroku Spring Group, which springs from the majestic nature at the foot of Mt. Bandai, and uses Ryugasawa spring water, selected as one of the 100 best waters in Japan, as the brewing water for production.

The distillery covers a total area of 2,800 square meters, and is equipped with two types of fermentation tanks (wooden and stainless steel) and a distiller that heats and cools the distillate in four different ways.

2-9.CTI Ascend Co. Distillery name unknown

The distillery is currently being prepared for installation. The distillation will be carried out in a local school building that has been closed. The company aims to contribute to the reconstruction of the local community through sustainable efforts. Corn, the raw material for the distillate, is grown in Suwa.

Ltd. has been engaged in acquiring whiskey production technology and test cultivation of corn on decontaminated farmland since 2020 in order to contribute to the reconstruction of the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
　This project involves the cultivation of corn seedlings on decontaminated farmland in Soma City, Fukushima Prefecture, using sewage sludge as fertilizer, and the production and sale of whiskey made from this corn. The whiskey production is planned to be carried out in an abandoned school building in Soma City.
　By using sewage sludge as fertilizer and whisky pomace as livestock feed and fertilizer, we aim to build a sustainable business based on resource recycling. We also aim to contribute to the reconstruction and revitalization of the region through the implementation of projects utilizing unused land and abandoned school facilities.

Reference: HP of the Construction Technology Institute Co.