Shizuoka - Japanese Single Malt Whisky

Shizuoka Whiskey Distillery is owned by Gaia Flow and was founded in 2016 by Taiko Nakamura. The distillery is located high in the mountains of Shizuoka. It is located on the banks of the Nakakouchi River in the Tamagawa District of Oku-Shizu, relatively close to the famous Mount Fuji.

Construction was completed in August 2016. A month later the license for whiskey distillation was granted and the first distillate was made in October. It was then filled into casks in December of the same year. Four years later they released their first single malt, Prologue K, which was an instant hit. Their second single malt, Prologue W, was also a hit and sold out in no time.

The Shizuoka Distillery is famous for its unique pot stills. The whiskey is distilled twice. First, it is usually distilled in a wash still to produce a "low wine" with over 20 percent alcohol. This is the only wood-fired distillery in the world that is directly heated. The firewood is sourced from the forests of Tamakawa through Tamakawa Kicori, a wood storage facility in Shizuoka City. It is then split into firewood and dried on site at the distillery.

The second pass takes place in a still. The result of the second distillation, which contains more than 70% alcohol by volume, is called New Make.

Shizuoka also features a smaller still that was formerly used at the famous but now defunct Karuizawa Distillery. Only this still was available for the first three months of distillation, and so their first single malt, Prologue K, was made in both stills in this still.

The Shizuoka Distillery primarily uses used bourbon casks for maturation. Under US law, a cask may only be used once to mature bourbon. This means the whiskey industry has a steady supply of ex-bourbon casks. They usually impart a sweet, vanilla-like taste. The distillery also uses other casks, e.g. B. Ex-Sherry casks.