Saburomaru Distillery will hold its first event and tasting in Tokyo. The application period is from May 23 to noon on May 29. The application procedure is introduced with the distillery’s basic information.
1. Ticket application details
| Application period | Thursday, May 23 – Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at noon |
| Announcement of winners | June 3, 2024 (Monday) Limited to 80 people *Only winners will be notified. |
| Membership fee | 10,000 yen (excluding tax) *Advance card payment, Amazon Pay, Rakuten Pay payment only. |
To apply, please click here to submit your application via Google Form.
2. Event Details
| Date and Time | Friday, June 21, 2024, 18:00-20:30 (Registration starts at 17:30~) |
| Place | Daikanyama Tsutaya SHARE LOUNGE 17-5 Sarugaku-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0033, Japan 5-minute walk from Daikanyama Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line |
We are pleased to announce that we will hold our first Saburomaru event and tasting experience “PEAT EMOTION by SABUROMARU” as Saburomaru Distillery in Tokyo on Friday, June 21!We will introduce our 70 years of whiskey making history and our new challenges along with our passion for Japanese whiskey.All of us at Saburomaru are sincerely looking forward to this opportunity to interact with whisky fans.Reference: Saburomaru Distillery official Facebook
3. About Saburomaru Distillery
| Location | 208, Saburomaru, Tonami, Toyama 939-1308 |
| Start of operation | 1953 (renovated in 2016) |
The only distillery in Hokuriku established in 1952.
It obtained a license to produce whisky in 1952 amidst the postwar rice shortage. Since then, they brew sake in winter and distill 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. 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) The casting method enables molding by molds, which makes it possible to manufacture in a short period of time. Also, it is possible to provide sufficient wall thickness at a low cost, and thus a longer service life can be expected for the body.
(2) Free molding by the casting method allows for a variety of sake qualities. 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 about 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 theproduction 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↓.
4. Single malt Saburomaru tarot series
| Tarot No. | Product name | Release Date |
| 0: THE FOOL | Saburomaru 0 THE FOOL | Nov. 12, 2020 |
| 1: THE MAGICIAN | Saburomaru I THE MAGICIAN | November 29, 2021 |
| 2: THE FEMALE POPE | Saburomaru II THE HIGH PRIESTESS | November 24, 2022 |
| 3: The Empress | Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS | November 24, 2023 |
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.
