*1 A grist separator is a tool used to check the size and fraction of machine crushed malt.*2 You can bottle your own whisky by blending the distillery’s offerings according to your preferences and purchase your own original whisky.10Sasanokawa Shuzo is the maker of Cherry Whisky, one of the brands that once led Japan’s craft whisky boom. The sake brewery has once again resumed whisky production inspired by the world-renowned whisky, Ichiro’s Malt.While striving to meet the demands of the times, Sasanokawa Shuzo has continued to uphold its generations-old spirit of sake brewing.Asaka Distillery: With a reignited passion for whiskyAsaka Distillery is located south ofLake Inawashiro. The westerly winds that blow down from Mount Bandai in the winter have a positive influence on whisky aging.The distillery has white plaster walls.Visitors can try sieving using a separator,*1 hand-filling a bottle,*2 and whisky tasting on the popular premium paid plant tour.“The short stills and slightlydownward-angled line arms createa character distinct to Asaka,” says Yamaguchi.Casks of Ichiro’s Malt that preserved the stock of unblended whisky.The encounter with Ichiro’s Malt has had an indispensable influence on the distillery.Executive Director Kyoji Yamaguchi (left), also the younger brother of the president, and Head Distiller Shohei Kuroba (right). “The president is a great manly leader,while the executive director has a keen eye for market trends. The two are different in character, but they work together perfectly,” Kuroha says.Approximately 1,400 casks linethe storehouse.Asaka Distillery offers a“Whisky Cask Owner Program.”Savoring the round flavorA whisky born out of comraderyStarting whisky-making from zerothe resurgence of Koriyama whisky to an unflinching determination to reviving the distillery.“My grandfather (the 8th-generation head) had great foresight and obtained a whisky production license. My father (the 9th-generation head) expanded the company and relocated it to its current site. My family has a knack for taking on bold new challenges,” Yamaguchi says laughing.The Single Malt Asaka Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Cask Reserve on sale is a masterpiece that combines a full-bodied flavor with an elegant fruitiness that exemplifies Asaka Distillery.“We value translucence, a smooth palate, and a well-balanced, soft roundness. These qualities can be better appreciated by drinking the whisky neat,” Yamaguchi recommends. Asaka Distillery’s journey has only just begun, and many more endeavors are yet to come.Sasanokawa Shuzo runs Asaka Distillery, which has earned high acclaim from whisky fans, winning prestigious awards in not only Japanese but also international competitions. It was one of the three sake breweries, along with TOA Shuzo and Hombo Shuzo, that led Japan’s first whisky boom in the 1980s. At the time, Sasanokawa Shuzo’s Cherry Whisky gained nationwide recognition as the “leading craft whisky of northern Japan.”However, as the domestic whisky market entered aprolongeddecline, Sasanokawa Shuzo suspended whisky distillation and shifted its primary focus to sake production. Meanwhile, a fellow whisky-making sake brewing company faced circumstances that would force the disposal of unblended whisky. On hearing this, President Tetsuzo Yamaguchi thought, “If whisky aged for years is discarded, that would be the end of it and would be a huge loss for the industry.” In a singleminded desire to help, he agreed to keeping the stock in the storehouse with in his premises. This unblended whisky was later released under the Ichiro’s Malt brand, which quickly took the industry by storm. As he deepened his friendship with Ichiro Akuto, the president of Venture Whisky Ltd. that was saved from its predicament, Yamaguchi found himself increasingly drawn to full-scale whisky production.Yamaguchi decided to resume whisky distillation in 2015, when Sasanokawa Shuzo marked its 250th anniversary. He repurposed an earthen-walled storehouse relocated from the brewery’s founding site and transformed it into Asaka Distillery. The facility was newly equipped with pot stills, mash tuns, and other equipment. Receiving advice from Akuto, Yamaguchi carefully examined every stage of the whisky-making process and began production.“The contemporary whisky market that I learned through Akuto-san was completely different from the one we had known. Everything from marketing to the customer base was different. The market had evolved with the times. To adapt to these changes, we started whisky making from zero,” Yamaguchi explains. In 2022, Asaka Distillery’s whisky won the World’s Best Blended Malt prize at the World Whiskies Awards, along with numerous other accolades. Yamaguchi attributes The Craft Whisky Distillery Makesa Triumphant Return
元のページ ../index.html#10