Added on January 24, 2034
*Bottle sales sold out within one minute of the start of the event, and the total amount donated is said to be 6 million yen. From now on, part of the sales of “Saburomaru Smoky Highball” released by Saburomaru Distillery will be donated.
First of all, we would like to express our condolences to those who lost their lives in the earthquake. We would also like to express our sympathy to those who were affected by the disaster.
Saburomaru Distillery, a leading distillery in Hokuriku, will be releasing a charity bottle. They will donate all the proceeds excluding consumption tax and material costs. The distillery had a power outage and other problems, but it seems that the restoration has been completed.
1. About Saburomaru Distillery
Saburomaru Distillery
| Address | 208, Saburomaru, Tonami city, Toyama 939-1308 |
| Start of operation | 1953 (renovated in 2016) |
The only distillery in Hokuriku established in 1952.
Amidst the postwar rice shortage, the distillery obtained a license to produce whisky in 1952. Since then, they have been brewing sake in winter and distilling whisky during the rest of the year. They make 200 bottles of whisky a year. Plans are underway to make 300 bottles in the future.
Since the beginning, they have been focusing on smoky whisky, using Islay peated malt and recently peated malt from Toyama Prefecture. In order to preserve the natural flavor, no cooling filtration or coloring is used.
In 2018, we installed a state-of-the-art mash tun from Miyake Seisakusho.
In 2019, we collaborated with a local company, Oigo Seisakusho, to develop a cast pod still, “ZEMON”.
In 2020, one wooden fermentation tank was introduced.
The major difference from other distilleries is the use of theworld’s first cast pod still “ZEMON”.
There are three major features.
(1) Casting method enables molding with a mold and quick delivery. Also, sufficient wall thickness can be added at a low cost, and a long life of the body can be expected.
(2) Free molding by the casting method enables a variety of sake qualities to be achieved. Also, by unitizing the parts, it is possible to replace only worn parts or expand the functions.
(3) Made of a copper-tin alloy containing approximately 90% copper and 8% tin. Tin is a high-grade metal that is traded at about three times the price of copper.
Tin has been used since ancient times to mellow the taste of sake and has been used in sake vessels and shochu coolers. ZEMON contributes to the production of high quality spirits through the dual effects of copper and tin.
Reference: Wakatsuru Shuzo official website
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For more information about Saburomaru Distillery, please see also here↓.
2. From the distillery
We would like to express our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the 2020 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. We would also like to express our heartfelt sympathies to everyone affected by the disaster.
Wakatsuru Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Location: Saburomaru, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, Representative: Takahiko Inagaki), which operates the Saburomaru Distillery, the oldest whisky distillery in Hokuriku, has recently announced that it was affected by the 2020 Noto Peninsula Earthquake. In order to support those who have lost their lives, we will bottle one barrel of Saburomaru Distillery’s single malt whisky as a charity bottle, and donate all proceeds excluding consumption tax and material costs.
The situation at the Saburomaru Distillery during the earthquake was that, although there were some power outages, the situation has now been restored, and there was no damage to the whisky being aged, and we are able to continue brewing. On the other hand, the damage on the Noto Peninsula was enormous, and many precious lives and the peaceful moments that should have been there were lost in an instant, and even today, efforts are still being made to search for missing people and victims of damage. The difficult life of evacuation continues for many people.
Saburomaru Distillery has been supported by the local community for over 70 years, including a fire in 1953 and the restoration of the distillery through crowdfunding in 2016, and has been able to continue operating to this day as the oldest whisky distillery in Hokuriku. . We hope to continue to spread the charm of Hokuriku to the world through various activities, including the release of this charity bottle, and to give back and support the local community even a little.
The whiskey to be released this time is a single malt whisky that was distilled in 2020 at Saburomaru Distillery and aged for 3 years. This is a smoky, heavily peated type of whisky that is characteristic of Saburomaru Distillery. The label illustration depicts the image of Mitsuke Island, a symbol of Noto, which was partially destroyed by the recent earthquake, and the rising sun, expressing the hope for recovery. We hope that this whisky will help the disaster-stricken areas recover as soon as possible. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Reference: Saburomaru Distillery official website
3. Details of the charity bottle
3-1. Product Specifications
| Product Name | Single Cask Saburomaru Noto Charity Bottle |
| Volume | 700ml |
| Raw materials | Malt |
| Alcohol content | 61％ |
| Year of distillation: Year of bottling | 2020: 2024 |
| Cask | Bourbon Barrels |
| Barrel number | #200142 |
| Sales Price | 30,000 yen (excluding tax) *All proceeds will be donated, excluding consumption tax and material costs. |
| About 210 bottles | About 210 bottles |
3-2. Bottle Concept
This single malt whisky was selected by Takahiko Inagaki, the representative of Saburomaru Distillery, Komei Shimono, the representative of T&T TOYAMA, the first whisky bottler in Japan, and Kuririn, a whisky blogger. Inagaki and Shimono are based in Toyama, and Kuririn was in the Hokuriku region when the earthquake occurred.
The label illustration was done by Niigata Prefecture-born illustrator Cora (@c_o_l_a), and the label design by Toyama Prefecture-born designer Mayumi Nakayama of Fine Project Co.
3-3. Tasting notes
●Tasting note by Mr. Kuririn
Aroma: Smokiness that asserts itself from the top note. Citrus notes reminiscent of grapefruit and lemon peel, accompanied by smoky malt and earthy aromas.
Taste: The palate is soft and malty with a sweetness, then a peaty bitterness and smokiness that spreads strongly with the same citrusiness as the aroma.
The aftertaste is peaty and powerful, with burnt straw, citrus cotton, and a hot spirit lodged in the center of the body through the throat.
This single malt is full of the peppery character that is the house style of the Sabromaru Distillery. 3 years of aging may seem short at first glance, but it has a soft mouthfeel and aroma with little clutter, and a structure that shows off its full character. We hope that this gentle yet powerful flavor will encourage the earliest possible recovery of the area, and provide a cheer to the disaster-stricken region.
4. About the first-come, first-served sales
First-sale on the product page of the Wakatsuru Sake Brewery online store “Me and, ALC“.
Sales start time: Monday, January 22, 2024, from 12:30 p.m.
*Can be purchased without membership registration. We recommend registering as a member in advance to ensure smooth entry for first-come, first-served basis.
*Products will be shipped in February.
