New brand “SOGAINI” will be launched from SAKURAO B&D. Sold at an amazing price. Details and taste.

1．Blended Japanese Whisky SOGAINI

１－１．Background of Launch

The recent whisky boom in Japan has resulted in more than 100 distilleries in Japan, and the increase in the number of Japanese whisky products and distribution volume has expanded the choices available to customers. However, most of the Japanese whiskys distributed in Japan are expensive single malt whiskys, and there are few options in the affordable blended Japanese whisky category. Sakrao B&D, one of the few companies that can produce both malt and grain whiskys in-house, has developed a new product, “Blended Japanese Whisky SOGAINI,” to take advantage of this strength and offer a Japanese whisky that can be easily enjoyed in everyday life.

１－２．Product Features

Blended Japanese whisky made exclusively from malt and grain whisky fermented, distilled, and aged in-house (*Products that meet the Japanese whisky labeling standards of the Japan Western whisky Brewers Association).。

 We have set the reference retail price at less than 2,000 yen, focusing not only on quality (aroma and taste) but also on affordability.

Among blended whiskys, it is characterized by its high malt content and strong, yet delicate and fruity aroma. It has a sweet aroma like vanilla, and in the mouth it has a chocolate-like sweetness and a soft acidity reminiscent of ripe citrus fruits. When served as a highball, the malt-derived fruity aroma rises to the surface, and the refreshing mouthfeel makes it even easier to drink.

 By using sake from two of Sakrao B&D’s own cellars (Sakurao Cellar (Sakurao, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture) and Togouchi Cellar (Togouchi, Aki-Ota-machi, Yamagata-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture)), we have created a complex flavor with the distinct character of each cellar.

quote：～New Brand “SOGAINI” Blended Japanese Whisky Made with 100% Domestic Sake Released | Press Release by Sakurao Brewery and Distillery Co.

２．Product Specs

３．Distillery Information

３-１.Sakurao Distillery

Sakurao Brewery and Distillery Co. in Hiroshima Prefecture is a long-established brewery established in 1918.
In fact, it has a deep history of whisky making, and was engaged in the production and sale of malt whisky from 1938 to 1989. At that time, the distilled spirit was stored in a warehouse in Togouchi that utilized a JR West Japan railroad exploratory tunnel.
In 2008, the company began selling Togouchi whisky, a blend of the original whisky stored in the Togouchi storage facility and imported original whisky. (Ninety percent is exported to Europe.)

In December 2017, as a 100th anniversary project, new equipment was installed to produce high quality single malt whisky and a craft distillery “SAKURAO DISTILLERY” was built from Hiroshima. distillation started in January 2018.

Currently, the distillery sells three types of whisky: “Single Malt Sakurao,” “Single Malt Togouchi,” and “Blended Whisky Togouchi,” which can be enjoyed at a price range only possible at a distillery that also produces grain.

３₋２.Togouchi Matured Storage

The temperature in the tunnel of the lush green Togouchi storage facility is kept cool regardless of the season, with low temperatures and humidity throughout the year. The speed of maturation is also slow, and the alcohol content in some of the barrels drops as if watered down by the humidity. The distilled sake at the Sakurao Distillery is matured in the Togouchi Matured House to create different types of sake.

Togouchi in Aki Ota-Chou stands out for the beauty of its scenery and the colors of its rich forests and clear streams, including Mount Orahant, the highest mountain in the prefecture, Mount Fukairi, and Sandankyo, a special national scenic beauty spot. Tucked away in such a mountainous area, the Togouchi storage facility makes use of a tunnel that was once used for railroad purposes. In the dark storage cellar, where the temperature remains cool throughout the four seasons, malt distilled at SAKURAO DISTILLERY quietly matures in casks that are filled with the scent of fresh greenery.

quote：SINGLE MALT JAPANESE WHISKY SAKURAO & TOGOUCHI | SAKURAO DISTILLERY

See also ↓ for information on the distillery.
https://en.jpwhisky.net/manufacturer/sakurao_en/

４．Summary

It is now available in full-size bottles at an even lower price than the previously available Japanese Blended Togouchi Premium.

This is a bottle with a price range that is perfect for casual occasions, but with the quality of a Japanese whisky made from authentic, domestically produced and aged original sake.
The product name “SOGAINI” means “Sonnani” in Hiroshima dialect. The name “SOGAINI” means “Sonnani” in the Hiroshima dialect, and it expresses our intention to deliver a lot of value, packed with quality, aroma, taste, and price.
It gives the impression of the local character and friendliness of Hiroshima.