A new challenge for Shizuoka Distillery! The second in the W series!
This is the second release in the W series. It is a counterpart to the “Pot Still K Pure Japanese Barley First Edition” released in June, and is composed of the 100% foreign barley used. This time, it is made with sake distilled in the “W” wood-fired distillation machine.
Release date is mid-August. The price is 9,845 yen, and the release is limited to 5,000 bottles.
The general trend in Japanese whisky is to use 100% foreign barley as an ingredient, but the Shizuoka Distillery, which has been brewing a lot of Japanese barley since it began operations, has used 30-50% Japanese barley in its single malt releases to date.
This time, we dared not to use Japanese barley. The first whisky to be released with 100% foreign barley The first version is made with “W”, a wood-fired distillation machine.
As of July 27, there is no information about the lottery sales, but the products released so far have been sold by lottery through the mail magazine of the mail order site “WHISKY PORT”. There may be an announcement for this release as well. We recommend that you register for the mail magazine in advance. Click here to register as a member.
1. Single Malt Japanese Whisky Shizuoka Pot Still W Pure Foreign Barley First Edition
First smoky single malt.
70% of the malt is Scottish hefty peated malt, making this the first smoky type of single malt for the Shizuoka distillery. Peated malt is a malt fumigated by burning Scottish peat, which produces a whisky with a strong character and a distinctive smoky flavor.
The remaining 20% of the ingredients are non-pitted malt from Scotland and 10% are malt for beer (Pilsner) from Germany, creating additional depth and breadth to the flavor.Quote: [New Product] “Shizuoka Pot Still W Pure Foreign Barley First Edition” is now available! ｜GAIAFLOW
| Product Name | Single Malt Japanese Whisky Shizuoka Pot Still W Pure Foreign Barley First Version |
|---|---|
| By Sake | Single Malt Japanese Whisky |
| Ingredients | Malt (British or German made) |
| Cask type | Bourbon barrels, new American oak barrels |
| Number of bottles sold | 5,000 bottles (sold in Japan) |
| Number of bottles | 55.5% (sold in Japan) |
| Price | Suggested retail price: 9,845 yen (tax included) |
| Manufactured at | Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery |
| Producer | Gaia Flow Distilling Co. |
2. Distiller “W”
The distillation unit, called “W”, which means “woodfired”, is a unique feature of the Shizuoka Distillery, and is one of the few distillers in the world that uses an open wood fire as its heat source.
The wood used as fuel is conifer thinnings overflowing from the rich mountain life of Shizuoka. Local kikori (woodcutters) chop the wood by hand, one by one, to make the firewood. The wood is then burned to distill the whisky.
Gaiaflow, which has its roots in the renewable energy business, has brought back to life a distilling technique that is more than 200 years old.While indirect steam heating reaches temperatures of around 150 degrees Celsius, direct wood-fired distillation reaches temperatures as high as 800 degrees Celsius. Heating at such high temperatures produces sake with a rich, powerful, and pleasantly aromatic flavor.
Quote: [New Product] “Shizuoka Pot Still W Pure Foreign Barley First Edition” is now on sale! ｜GAIAFLOW
3. Other Single Malts from Shizuoka Distillery
3-1. Single Malt Japanese Whisky Shizuoka Pot Still K Pure Japanese Barley First Edition
100% Japanese barley malt is used for the raw malt. Due to the potential of Japanese barley in whisky flavor and the importance of terroir (local character) as a Japanese sake, we dare to use high cost Japanese barley malt for this whisky.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/2022/06/28/shizuoka_potstill_k-2/
3-2. Single Malt Whisky Shizuoka Prologue K
Over 50% Japanese barley malt is used, vatting the original malt from England and Canada. It has a woody taste with a light peaty aroma and a pleasant aftertaste.
3-3. Single malt whisky shizuoka prologue w
W is the nickname for the one and only wood-fired distiller. Made primarily from Japanese barley malt with Scottish peated malt and beer malt, it has a youthful yet gentle aroma from its three-year aging, a thick flavor unique to wood-fired distillation, a firm body and light smokiness, and a long, gentle finish.
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.
