Whisky made in collaboration with Atlas’ “Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance” and Saburomaru Distillery is now on sale.
Currently, the first release of the collaboration, a blended whisky, is already on sale. The second, third, and fourth releases will be followed by single malts featuring characters from the film.
1. Official sales
Sales will be accepted from the special “Me and ALC“ page of the Wakatsuru Shuzo online store.
“Me and ALC” member registration is required. ALC member’s customer ID is required at the time of application. Click here for the member application page.
While supplies last.
Click here for the product page.
2. “Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance” x Saburomaru Distillery collaboration whisky
This is a collaboration product that recreates the world of “Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance,” the latest in the popular RPG “Shin Megami Tensei” series by Atlus Corporation, in the form of whisky. Takahiko Inagaki, blender and manager of the “Saburomaru Distillery” whisky distillery, created this product based on the image of the dark and anarchic world of the “Shin Megami Tensei” series, which is not bound by the rules of right and wrong.
The sweet and mellow sherry cask-aged sake is the centerpiece of this unique blend, with additional aging in Spanish oak sherry casks and red wine barrels.
The result is a blended whisky with a rich and seductive flavor with a hint of smokiness.
| Product name | Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance × Saburoumaru Blended Whisky |
| Distinction by alcohol | Blended whisky |
| Ingredients | Malt, Grain |
| Casks | Sherry |
| Number of bottles | Unknown |
| Alcohol content | 46% |
| Price | 8,800 yen (tax included) |
| Manufactured at | Saburomaru Distillery |
| Producer | Wakatsuru Shuzo Co. |
3. About Saburomaru Distillery
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 the production of high quality spirits through the dual effects of copper and tin.
Reference: Wakatsuru Shuzo official website
For more information about Saburomaru Distillery, please see also here↓.
4. About Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance
The RPG “Shin Megami Tensei” series was released in 1992 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2022.
The latest title in the series, “Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance,” which has sold more than 19.2 million copies worldwide, will be released in June 2024. The previous title, which was highly acclaimed by users in Japan and abroad, has evolved in every respect, including the system and scenario, and is now available on the current multiple hardware platforms!
The series’ unique and appealing gameplay, in which players join demons and gods to fight in a devastated Tokyo, is retained, while high-quality visuals are fused together to deliver a new and unprecedented demon experience.
In the past, Saburomaru Distillery has also released collaborative products with Atlus’ Persona series and Guilty Gear series. If you are interested, please see the article at ↓.
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.
