Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025. Newly released from Shinzato Shuzo’s Suzaki Distillery. Explaining its features, price, and how to purchase.
Suzaki Distillery, operated by Shinzato Shuzo Co., Ltd., began distillation in May 2020. “Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025” has been released.
Aging in Okinawa’s subtropical climate involves extremely high humidity, resulting in an Angel’s Share of approximately 10%.
Its recent win of the Japan Grand Prix in the Newborn category at the TWSC is still fresh in our memory.
1. Bottle and Label Photos
Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025
Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025
2. Features of Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025
The Evolution of Okinawa-produced Single Malt “Ryuka”
A supreme tropical single malt whisky born from subtropical Okinawa.
We further enhanced the rich and complex flavor of the base spirit, produced in-house at Shinzato Shuzo using British malt, and adjusted it so the aroma unfolds the moment it’s poured into the glass.Warm, spicy notes of cinnamon and ginger. A complex bouquet of fresh green apple, black tea, dried plum, and spearmint, followed by a long-lasting finish of sweet caramel and rich milk chocolate.
Enjoy its rich, full-bodied flavor where the fruitiness from sherry casks and the spiciness from Spanish oak casks intertwine exquisitely.
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Fragrance | Cinnamon, Ginger, Green apple, Black tea, Dried plum, Mint |
| Taste | Caramel, Milk chocolate |
| After Taste | Creamy sweetness lingers |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol Content | 58% |
| Types of Alcohol | Single Malt |
| Cask Type | Refill Oloroso Sherry, 1st Fill PX, Refill Spanish Oak, Awamori Cask |
| Content capacity | 700ml |
| Number of bottles sold | 4,000 bottles |
| MSRP | ¥16,500 (tax included) |
| Release Date | November 7, 2025 |
5. Awards
No awards have been received at this time.
6. List Price and Online Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product Name | Single Malt Whisky Ryuka 2025 |
| Content capacity | 700ml |
| MSRP | ¥16,500 (tax included) |
6-2. Resale Price on Mercari
Mercari Resale Price Currently no listings. (As of December 26, 2025)
6-3. Yahoo! Auctions Winning Bid Price
No winning bids were found on Yahoo! Auctions. (As of December 26, 2025)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
Online retailers also generally sell at the list price. (As of December 26, 2025)
6-5. Price at BAR Shinai
At “BAR Shinkai ” operated by this site, we offer it at: 45ml: ¥4,290, 30ml: ¥2,860, 15ml: ¥1,430 per serving.
7. Manufacturer
Founded in 1846, it is Okinawa’s oldest awamori distillery. It obtained a whisky production license in April 2020. A 3-year aged single malt has already been released exclusively within Okinawa Prefecture.
| Company Name | Shinzato Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Established | 1846 |
| Head Office Address | 12-17 Suzaki, Uruma-City, Okinawa Prefecture 904-2234 |
| Owned Distillery | Suzuaki Distillery |
8. Distillery Information
| Distillery Name | Suzuaki Distillery |
| Location | 12-17 Suzaki, Uruma-City, Okinawa Prefecture 904-2234 |
| Start of Operations | April 2020: Obtained Whisky Manufacturing License |
Shinzato Shuzo, Okinawa’s oldest awamori brewery founded in 1846, built a distillery at Japan’s southernmost point.
Whisky production license obtained in April 2020. Production commenced in May.
The currently sold ” Shinzato WHISKY ” is a blended whisky made by blending a few percent of a spirit—specifically, Shinzato Shuzo’s “Awamori” aged for 13 years in sherry casks —with overseas blended whisky.
In April 2021, they released their own distilled “NEW MAKE Shinzato”. The limited edition of 350 bottles sold out immediately.
The pot stills currently in use are shared with those used for distilling awamori. The distillery now owns three pot stills. Three types of casks are used for maturation: sherry casks, bourbon casks, and Spanish oak casks. After three years of maturation, the whisky has already been sold in limited quantities within Okinawa Prefecture. They produce the base spirit at a pace of one batch per day. Official Instagram here
For more details on Suzaki Distillery, please see this article.
10. Summary
The barrels used are simply luxurious!
Since they use straightforward malt, it likely pairs well with new pot still whisky.
A very rich expression that’s easy to recommend even to beginners.
Personally, it reminded me of Taiwan’s Kavalan—a distillery with a consistent reputation for flavor despite its relatively short release history.
I’ve enjoyed it since its newborn days and definitely want to keep supporting this distillery going forward.
■Other Products from Shinzato Shuzo / Suzaki Distillery
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.
