With anedgy theme of“The Ultimate Peat,”they continue to make only smoky whisky.Although a traditional sake brewer, they have an innovative philosophy, andtheir challenges, such asJapan’s first bottlers business and thedevelopment and patenting of a next-generation pot still, have brought tradition and innovation, and are pushing Japanese whisky into a new industry.
1.Outline
The first whisky distillery in Hokuriku, established by Wakatsuru Shuzo, a sake brewery founded in 1862.
In the fall of 2016, a crowdfunding campaign was held to renovate the aging distillery, raising nearly 40 million yen and attracting immediate attention.
The following year, in 2017, the current Saburomaru distillery was opened.
In 2018, they introduced a state-of-the-art mash tun, and in 2019, they invented the world’s first cast distiller, ZEMON, utilizing the technology of Takaoka copperware, a traditional industry in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture.
The product was jointly developed by the Brahma manufacturer Laiko Seisakusho and the Toyama Industrial Technology Center in collaboration with the Toyama Prefectural Industrial Technology Center.
At the same time, we started production of “Sanshiro barrels” made of oak wood from Toyama Prefecture as a collaborative project with local companies Shimada Lumber and Yamazaki Corporation, utilizing traditional woodworking techniques inherited in the Iba district of Nanto City, also in Toyama Prefecture.
In 2021, together with Mr. Shimono of Single Malt Mail Order Malt Yama, T&T TOYAMA, the world’s first and at the same time Japan’s first bottler business specializing in Japanese whisky, was launched.
In addition, we jointly developed the “Barrel Roll,” a processing machine that enables the automatic use of barrel processing, which previously required manual scraping to reuse used barrels, and obtained a patent for it.
The company has collaborated with Japanese culture, such as video games and manga, and has been the model for “Welcome to Komada Distillery,” a film animation produced by “P.A.WORKS,” which attracts many anime fans with its “Job Series” based on real occupations, such as “SHIROBAKO,” “Hanasaku Iroha,” and “Sakura Quest. The “Komada Distillery” is also attracting a great deal of attention from users other than whisky lovers, as it has become a model for the “Komada Distillery”.
2.Basic Information
2-1. Owner
Wakatsuru Brewery
2-2. Location
P.O. Box 939-1308
208 Saburomaru, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture
2-3. Access
JR
1 minute walk from JR Johata Line Abuta Station.
2-4. Start of Operation
1950 (Showa 25)
whisky production license obtained in 1952
2-5. Main Products
A series of tarot cards to be released regularly starting in 2020.
One of the main features is that two bottles will be developed simultaneously: a regular version and a cask-strength version without added water.
As of November 2024, “Saburomaru V THE HIEROPHANT” will be the latest release.
None at this time.
3.Tours and Visitor Center
Free tours are available on the day of the tour without reservations, guided tours are available with reservations.
Free unguided tours are available on the day of the tour.
Available on the day at the Taisho warehouse.
Fee: 1,000 yen (500 yen to purchase a cup for tasting)
Tour hours: 10:00 – 14:30
Last admission at 14:30
Closing time 15:00
Tour time: approx. 60 min.
Contents Includes 2 coins for tasting
Coins can also be used in the museum’s game machines
Free tour with audio guide
Guided tours】 【Guided tours
Tour times: ①10:40 ②13:20
Fee: 4,000 yen
Tour with a guide on a dedicated tour course
Includes 4 coins for tasting
Glass, 20 ml of whisky (not for sale)
and Saburomaru original ballpoint pen and other souvenirs are included.
Tasting is with a souvenir glass.
Closed: Wednesdays, Year-end and New Year holidays
3-1. Gourmet Information in the Surrounding Area
Rather than gourmet food in the area, “Kama Flamme Sumisaburo” located on the same premises is a must.
You can drink not only Wakatsuru sake, but also the precious Saburomaru series, and enjoy delicious wagyu beef, meat sushi, roast beef, and fish dishes, so be careful not to drink or eat too much.
The restaurant can be rented out for private parties of up to 80 people, so you can have a large party after the tour as an adult school excursion.
3-2. Sightseeing Lodging
The beautiful scenery of Sankyoson, a rural area dotted with farmhouses, and the Tonami Tulip Fair held every year during Golden Week are well-known.
In particular, the sunset from the observatory overlooking Sankyoson is synonymous with Tonami City.
4.Manufacturing specs
Until shortly after the crowdfunding, pot stills were made of stainless steel for shochu and converted to copper.
In June 2019, the Brahma still “ZEMON” was introduced, the world’s first still made of cast metal, which was jointly developed by Brahma maker Laiko Seisakusho and the Toyama Industrial Technology Center.
The following year, it was put into operation as a new ZEMON with an improved split structure and customizable capacity and line arm angle.
ZEMON” is made of a copper-tin alloy containing approximately 90% copper, 8% tin, and 2% zinc.
The tin has the effect of mellowing the liquor and has a sand-molded, uneven surface.
These bumps increase the contact area with the steam and maximize the effects of the copper and tin.
Furthermore, the pot still is thicker than conventional pot stills, with a thickness of more than 10 mm instead of the usual 5 mm, and is expected to last more than twice as long.
The improved ZEMON II is now in operation at the Hida Takayama Distillery, which has already received many inquiries from both domestic and overseas customers due to its cost-effectiveness and early delivery.
ZEMON” received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award, the highest award at the 36th Industrial Technology Awards for Industrial Materials in 2020.
Incidentally, the name “ZEMON” is derived from “Jieimon,” which the head of the Laiko family called Jieemon in a Toyama accent, a trade name that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Otherwise, the Saburomaru distillery is said to have a vigorous fermentation process, and they sometimes use “defoaming agents” to control the generation of bubbles.
| Production volume | 150,000 liters |
| Brewing water | Underground water (hardness: approx. 60%) |
| Amount brewed |
1 ton per batch (approximately 240 batches per year) |
| Malt mill | Four AR2000 roller mills manufactured by Alandrac |
| Saccharification tank | Stainless steel with copper plate exterior and fluoro tartan by Miyake Seisakusho and Takaoka Copper Works |
| Wort volume | 5200 liters |
| Yeast used |
Yeast from Toyama, a combination of ale yeast and whisky yeast |
| Fermentation tanks | Two Oregon pine wood casks (approx. 6,000 liters) made by Japanese wooden vats and wooden tubes 3 Shinko Fowler hollow casks (approx. 7,000 liters) Fermentation time: approx. 96 hours |
| Pot still | First distillation 1 unit of ZEMON lantern type made by Laiko Seisakusho, 2,600 liters re-distillation One ZEMON lantern type made by Laojko Seisakusho, 3,800 liters first distillation |
| Cooling system | Shell and tube for both first distillation and redistillation |
| Bottling facilities | Yes |
| Maturing warehouse | In addition to dunnage type and rack type (5 tiers) In addition to the dunnage type (5 levels), there is a low-temperature aging room for preserving sake lees, etc., and a total of approximately 1500 barrels can be stored. Wooden maturing warehouse “Iba maturing warehouse” can store 5,000 barrels in 8 racks. |
| Others |
60% to 63% cask fill rate Heavy peat 50ppm Super-heavy peat 80ppm Ira Peat, non-peat (from Toyama) |
5.Maturing environment
Sprinklers are installed on the roof of the ripening room, and a “roof watering system” is used to lower the temperature in the ripening room.
In addition, a “well water cooler” that uses groundwater is used to keep the humidity inside the aging room high by blowing moisture into the room.
In addition, “Sanshiro barrels” made of Toyama Prefecture-grown Quercus serrata wood, jointly produced by Shimada Lumber and Yamazaki Corporation, are also used.
The name “Sanshiro barrel” was taken from Maekawa Sanshiro, an engraver sent by Honganji Temple in Kyoto to rebuild Zuisenji Temple in the 1700s.
Image credit: Official Facebook
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6.Distillery Story
6-1. History
| 1862 (2nd year of Bunkyu era) |
Established in Saburomaru Village, Tonami County, Echugoku (present Saburomaru, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture) |
|---|---|
| In 1918 1918 (7th year of Taisho era) |
Wakatsuru Brewery was established. Production and sales of sake “Wakatsuru” and “Hyakuraku |
| 1947 (1947) |
Established Wakatsuru Fermentation Laboratory. |
| In 1948 1948 (Showa 23) |
Installed a distillation machine from Japan Distilling Industry. |
| 1949 (Showa 23) (1949) |
Obtained a license for shochu production. |
| In 1950 (1950) |
Obtained a license for the production of miscellaneous liquors (whisky production started). |
| In 1952 (1952) |
Licensed to manufacture whisky and sweetened fruit wine. |
| 1953 (The first year of production of whisky) (1953) |
Sun-Shine whisky” released The first distillation tower facility is destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the same year. |
| 1954 (1954) |
Installed an allotropic distillation machine |
| In 2012, the first distillation column facility was destroyed by fire. 2012 (Heisei 24) |
Became a subsidiary of Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling Co. |
| 2013 (Year of birth) 2013 (Heisei 25) |
Sake brewery Taisho Kura renovated into a visitor center Sunshine Extra Special Wakatsuru 20-Year-Old is released |
| 2015 (year 2015) (2015) |
GRN Holdings established by Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling (now GRN: Global Refreshment Network), established by Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Sunshine Single Malt Wakatsuru 1990 released |
| 2016 2016 (Heisei 28) |
Started “Saburomaru Distillery Renovation Project Nearly 40 million yen in support raised through crowdfunding Released “Saburomaru 1960 Single Malt 55 Years Cask Strength” and “Saburomaru 1994”, considered the longest-aged domestic products. |
| 2017 (2017) |
The renovation and improvement plan is completed and the distillery becomes open for tours. The stainless steel still necks and condensers are replaced with copper ones made by a local company, Takaoka Copperware. Owner GRN Holdings changes the company name to GRN (Global Refreshment Network abbreviation) Co. Launched Sunshine whisky Premium and Moonglow First Release |
| 2018 (2018) |
Replaced the in-house produced saccharification tank with a state-of-the-art mash tun made by Miyake Seisakusho Co. Started making barrels made of local Toyama oak in Iba, the home of wood carving Sunshine Premium Wine Cask Finish” Moonglow Limited Edition 2018″ and “Moonglow Crescent 2018” released |
| 2019 (2028) |
Developed and started operation of the world’s first cast distillation vessel “ZEMON” in collaboration with Takaoka Copperware’s Laiko Manufacturing Co. First Craft “Harry Crain’s Craft Highball” launched |
| Year 2020 2020 (2020) |
Saburomaru 0 THE FOOL” and “Saburomaru 0 THE FOOL Cask Strength Toyama Smoky Highball HARRY CRANES CraftHighball is released Wooden vat fermentation tank added Malting of Toyama barley begins at Unazuki Beer’s malting facility |
| 2021 (2021) |
Saburomaru and Nagahama Distillery collaborate on blended malt whisky “FAR EAST OF PEAT FIRST BATCH” and “SECOND BATCH”. Blended “TAMA USAGI 2021 EDITION” and “Saburomaru 3 years old 2017-2021 Hand Fill Saburomaru Distillery New Pot 2021 Islay Peated + Toyama Malt 47ppm Saburomaru Distillery New Pot 2021 Super Hefty Peated 80ppm Saburomaru I THE MAGICIAN” and “Saburomaru I THE MAGICIAN Cask Strength” were released Launched the “T&T TOYAMA Japanese whisky Bottlers Project” with single malt whisky specialty store Maltoyama, and raised over 40 million yen through crowdfunding. |
| 2022 2022 (2022) |
Sanromaru distillery and Eigashima Shuzo collaborate to release blended malt whisky “FAR EAST OF PEAT THIRD BATCH” and “FOURTH BATCH”. T&T TOYAMA” Iba aging warehouse completed in Inami, Nanto City. THE LAST PIECE Japanese Edition Batch No.1″ and “THE LAST PIECE World Edition”, the company’s first products blended from the Saburomaru distillery and other distilleries, are released Blended own sake “Saburomaru THE SUN2022”, “JUNENMYO Noir” and “Saburomaru I for L’évo” were released. Limited edition “Saburomaru Distillery Blended Malt whisky Batch.1 The Founder Saburomaru 2019 Singing Malt Single Cask”, “Tamausagi 2022 Edition”, made by ZEMON distiller, commemorating the 60th anniversary of Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling and the 70th anniversary of Saburomaru Distillery Saburomaru II THE HIGH PRIESTESS Cask Strength Saburomaru New Pot 2022 Islay Peated Toyama Malt 50ppm Highball can “Saburomaru Distillery’s Smoky Highball” was released ZEMON” distiller patented in the U.K. |
| Year 2023 (2023) |
Saburomaru New Pot 2023 Ultra Heavily Iced 83ppm Single Malt T&T TOYAMA COLLECTION Saburomaru 2019 3years #190062 Saburomaru II 70th Anniversary Spanish Oak with ZEMON Pin Badge FAR EAST OF PEAT 5TH BATCH” released Lotte’s craft sake chocolate YOIYO’s 11th release Saburomaru whisky is selected as “YOIYO Saburomaru Distillery Takahiko Inagaki Selection”. Jointly developed by Wakatsuru Shuzo and Kimoto Glass, “The Ultimate Peat Glass”, an original whisky glass of Saburomaru Distillery, was released. Collaboration whisky “Saburomaru x Persona Blended”, “Single Cask Saburomaru P3P”, “Single Cask Saburomaru P4G”, “Single Cask Saburomaru P5R”. GUILTY GEAR” fighting game series developed by Arc System Works, Inc. Collaboration whisky “GUILTY GEAR 25th Anniversary Blended whisky 25th Anniversary Bottle”, “GUILTY GEAR Single Malt Sol = Bad Guy ver.”, “GUILTY GEAR Single Malt Kai = Kii ver.” released Sanro Maru 2019 3 Year Whisky Festival 2023 in YOKOHAMA Commemorative Bottle”. THE SUN 2023″, “TAMAUSAGI 2023 Edition”, “SABUROMARU Single Cask 2020 3years” Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS” and “Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS” and “Saburomaru III THE EMPRESS Cask Strength” on sale |
| 2024 (2024) |
GUILTY GEAR 25th Anniversary Blended Malt Dizzy ver. Single Cask Saburomaru Noto Charity Bottle FAR EAST OF PEAT 6th BATCH Single Cask Saburomaru Taiwan Charity Bottle Blended whisky “FAR EAST OF PEAT 6th BATCH Single malt “Saburomaru IV THE EMPEROR” and “Saburomaru IV Cask Strength” are released Collaboration whisky “Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance x Saburomaru Blended whisky” “Single Malt Saburomaru Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance Type:Devils #210115” “Single Malt Saburomaru Shin Megami Tensei V V Vengeance Type:Angels #210011” and “Single Malt Saburomaru Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance Type:Lucifer #210160” were released. Released “Saburomaru Blended whisky for Hyakumangoku whisky Festa 2024”. Published “Introduction to Japanese whisky – Behind the Scenes of Enthusiasm from the Field -” by Takahiko Inagaki |
6-2. Past blenders
Takahiko Inagaki
President and CEO, Wakatsuru Brewery Co.
Blender & Manager, Saburomaru Distillery
Inventor of the world’s first cast pot still ZEMON (Patent No. 6721917)
Born in 1987. Born in Toyama Prefecture.
After graduating from Osaka University, Faculty of Economics, Department of Economics and Business Administration, he worked for a foreign IT company in Tokyo.
In 2015, he returned to his family home in Toyama and took over the whisky making business started by his great-grandfather Kotaro Inagaki in 1952.
In 2017, through crowdfunding, he renovated the Saburomaru distillery and opened it as an industrial tourism facility.
In 2019, invented the world’s first cast pot still “ZEMON” utilizing traditional craft Takaoka copperware technology.
Working daily to spread the appeal of whisky from Toyama.
7.Other Distillery Listings
