Shizuoka United "S" First Edition

Tasting note

Nose

A particularly powerful aroma. Hints of peat emerge immediately, but no more than a hint. Also some toasted bread and freshly roasted nuts. In addition to the grain and nuts, nice fruit notes such as apples and even some peach.

Taste

Here also a nice little bitterness from the peat, but more in a spicy rather than smoky style. Dark tea and a fine sweetness. Honey, toffee, malt, orange, earthy notes and a pepper are also mentioned.

Finish

Medium-long with a nice summary of what we smelled and tasted.

Extra information

The Shizuoka United S First Edition is a limited edition distillery bottling. The grain used is a combination between Japanese barley and European barley with a small proportion dried over peat fires. Two types of stills were used for this distillate. The former Karuizawa boiler and the unique wood-fired boiler.

What others say

Ruben Luyten rates this whisky on his blog WhiskyNotes.be with 85/100 points.

Read his findings here.

Shizuoka Distillery

Shizuoka Distillery is located at the foot of iconic Mount Fuji in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. Founded in 2016 by Gaia Flow Co, the distillery has quickly attracted attention in the whisky world for its innovative approaches and high quality standards.

A unique feature of Shizuoka Distillery is its use of both new and historic distillation equipment. When it was founded, they bought stills from the closed Karuizawa Distillery, preserving a piece of Japanese whisky history. They also use modern pot stills, offering a unique blend of traditional and contemporary craftsmanship.

Shizuoka whiskies are produced with locally grown barley and pure mountain water, contributing to their refined and complex flavour profiles. The whiskies are matured in a variety of casks, including ex-bourbon, sherry and Japanese Mizunara oak casks, ensuring deep and rich flavours.

The combination of a beautiful location, innovative techniques and a strong commitment to quality makes Shizuoka Distillery an acclaimed name in the world of Japanese whisky.