Shizuoka Distillery is generating a lot of excitement among Japanese whisky enthusiasts. Founded in 2016 by Taiko Nakamura, the distillery has rebuilt the mill and wash still from the closed Karuizawa Distillery. Situated approximately halfway between Tokyo and Nagoya, it is high in the mountains on the banks of the Nakakouchi River. The distillery is equipped with a 1-ton mash tun and different types of washbacks made from Oregon pine and Japanese cedar—a nod to sake fermentation. It has two wash stills: one 3,500-liter from the former Karuizawa Distillery and a new direct wood-fired 5,000-liter (referred to as pot still K and W respectively). While Glenfarclas Distillery and others retain direct-fired stills, this is reportedly the only whisky distillery in the world solely burning timber to heat a wash still during distillation. Scottish coppersmiths Forsyths fabricated both the wood-fired wash still and the spirit still, while there is also a hybrid Holstein still on-site. With this setup, Shizuoka is making distillate from 100% Japanese-grown barley, an unusual step, as the majority of whisky distilled in Japan is made from imported barley.
Try These Shizuoka Whiskies
92 points Shizuoka Pot Still W 100% Imported Barley First Edition Duo Set, 55.5%, $195/set of 200ml bottles
Tart citrus acidity on the nose, with clementine peel oils, lime jelly, fleshy grapefruit, but also rose petals and cotton candy sweetness. It’s ridiculously delicious, though it offers less complexity than its Pot Still K counterpart in the set, encapsulating a combination of caramel, malt, citrus peel, crushed peppercorn, and clove, diluting to reveal almond nougat, toffee, and walnut. A hot dry finish of crushed nuts and dark chocolate. (250 sets for the U.S.)
91 points Shizuoka Contact S, 55.5%, $230
This 3 year old combines spirit from both Shizuoka wash stills that was then matured in bourbon and quarter casks. Fruity citrus leads the nose, with mandarin, honey, flora blooms, orange buttercream, cookie dough, and white chocolate. Golden honey, cinnamon, and baked citrus on first sip, quickly overtaken by a teeth-coating maltiness, marmalade, and hot pepper. A nutty oiliness of pecan pie, black tea, and walnut oil concludes the proceedings, finishing on a malty note. (300 bottles for the U.S.)
91 points Shizuoka Pot Still K Japanese Barley First Edition Duo Set, 55.5%, $195/set of 200ml bottles
Once the high alcohol blows over, there’s a vibrant cloud of citrus aromas, especially lime zest and grapefruit peel, backed by green herbs and barley sugar. It’s young and distillate driven, but the sweet vanilla flavor carry candied orange and lemon, toffee, and peppercorn, topping out with ginger, pear, and chocolate, then spiced pear to finish Splendidly drinkable at cask strength, with good mouthfeel and weight. (250 sets for the U.S.)
