A single malt has finally been released from Ikawa Distillery, an unexplored distillery in Shizuoka Prefecture. Product information and specifications are introduced along with distillery information.
Ikawa Distillery is the highest distillery in Japan in terms of elevation and is also the most difficult to reach. We have received information on the release of a single malt from the whiskey matured in such a cool and humid environment deep in the mountains and forests. The release is scheduled for mid-November.
How does it taste?
1. Ikawa Distillery Single Malt Dessin Series Flora 2024
Image credit: Ikawa Distillery Official X
~Living the Southern Alps in our whisky~
We make our whisky at the headwaters of the Oigawa River in the Southern Alps, surrounded by 3,000-meter mountains and rich in nature, a place we have protected for more than a century and have been brewing since 2020, taking advantage of the blessings of the Southern Alps and our experience in the paper industry. And now, based on the belief and passion we have cultivated while facing the great nature of the Southern Alps, we are pleased to introduce a whisky that only we can make, the first single malt whisky from the Ikawa Distillery.
This commemorative first release is a whisky with the clean taste, sweetness, and gorgeousness that we cherish, made exclusively from non-heat type bourbon barrel stock, the key malt of the Ikawa Distillery. These include the original whiskey that was prepared in the early days of the company’s existence.
As the name “Flora 2024” suggests, the label uses plants living in the Southern Alps where the distillery is located as a motif, expressing the delicate beauty of alpine plants such as species that have survived since the Ice Age and their strength to survive in the rugged environment. Please enjoy the sweetness that is typical of the Igawa distillery, followed by a lingering, deep aftertaste of bitterness and aroma.
Reference: Official release information of the distillery
2. Product Specifications
The bottle label depicts Takanemanthema, a rare and perennial alpine plant in the Southern Alps, as depicted by botanical artist Yukiko Fujimori (resident of Shimizu Town).
| Product Name | Ikawa Distillery Single Malt Drawing Series Flora 2024 |
| Distinction by alcohol | Single Malt Japanese Whisky |
| Cask | Non-pit bourbon casks |
| Number of bottles | Approximately 6,000 bottles |
| Alcohol content | 53% |
| Suggested Retail Price | 16,500 yen (tax included) |
3. Manufacturer
Juzan Corporation
| Head Office Address | 1301-1 Torimori, Tashiro, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 428-0505, Japan |
| Owned distillery | Ikawa Distillery |
4. Distillery information
IKAWA DISTILLERY
| Address | 1299-1, Oshunoki, Tashiro, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 428-0505, Japan |
| Start of operation | January, 2018 |
In April 2020, Juzan Corporation was established by the Southern Alps Division, which was the company-owned forest management division of Tokushu Tokai Paper Co.
Ltd. was spun off and created for the purpose of independent management of company-owned forests.
The company-owned forests cover 24,430 hectares in the Ikawa Mountain Forest, the largest single forest area in Japan. Preservation of the environment of the Southern Alps and maintenance of mountain trails for visitors to the area.
Currently, the company has started a whisky manufacturing business that takes advantage of the unique environment and natural spring water of the Ikawa Mountain Forest.
- The distillery is located at an altitude of 1,200 meters and uses “Tokusa spring water,” which is the highest in Japan and a symbol of the rich forests.
- Mizunara oak, which grows in the mountain forests of Igawa, is used for the barrels, which are indispensable for making whiskey. The company also collects acorns from the oak trees that have been cut down and plants trees for the future.
- The natural environment of the Southern Alps is foggy, cool, and humid, and the distillery is located at a higher altitude than the distillery. The distillery has built a maturing hut at a higher altitude than the distillery, and is maturing the casks under the name of “Mountain Cask”.
The future release will be a series of products in the “Dessin Series. There are two types, Flora (flora) and Fauna (fauna), and they will be released in non peated and peated versions, respectively.
Image credit: Ikawa Distillery Official X
Citation: official HP of Ikawa Distillery
For more information about the distillery, please see also ↓ here.
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.
