Endeavors Toward the Next 100 YearsTwo Brands Nurtured by the AreaExclusive Whiskies with Intersecting CharacteristicsSAKURAO Brewery and Distillery (B&D) stands p r o u d l y a l o n g t h e c o a s t l i n e o f S a k u r a o , H a t s u k a i c h i C i t y i n H i r o s h i m a P r e f e c t u r e overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. Its predecessor, Chugoku Jozo Co., Ltd., was founded in 1918 as a shochu distillery producing brewing alcohol for s a k e , a n d g r e w i n t o a c o m p r e h e n s i v e m a n u f a c t u re r o f a w i d e va r i e t y o f a l c o h o l i c beverages representative of the region. On the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the company v e n t u r e d i n t o t h e f u l l - s c a l e p r o d u c t i o n o f Western spirits as a new business for the next 1 00 years. It launched a craf t gin made with botanicals sourced from Hiroshima and later released its first single malt whisky from the SAKURAO Distillery.President and CEO Koichiro Shirai explains, “Chugoku Jozo actually produced whisky until the late 1980s, but operations were suspended due to declining demand. When we decided to resume production, we visited several distilleries overseas to relearn many aspects of the craft. We realized that the aging environment has a significant impact on the flavor of whisky. That insight aligned with our company’s philosophy of l eve r a g i n g H i ro s h i m a ’s c l i m a t e a n d n a t u r a l features to convey the joy of food, solidifying our d e s i re t o c re a t e w h i s k y t h a t t r u l y e m b o d i e s Hiroshima.”The company appointed Taihei Yamamoto, an e x p e r t i n a l c o h o l p r o d u c t i o n , a s h e a d o f manufacturing. Despite some trial and error in the first foray into whisky making, he recalls t a c k l i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e d u r i n g a t i m e o f transformation for the company with the strong determination that failure was not an option and a sense of mission to create something truly excellent.Yamamoto says, “Our still is a rare German-made hybrid still that can be used for both malt whisky and gin. We had it custom-made after visiting the manufacturer in person. Aging takes place in two locations: Our SAKURAO brand is aged at the Sakurao warehouse on the distillery grounds, while the TOGOUCHI brand is aged at the Togouchi warehouse, which repurposes an old railway tunnel. One of the defining features of Sakurao B&D is the ability to enjoy how new-m a ke s p i r i t p ro d u c e d a t t h e s a m e d i s t i l l e r y matures differently when aged by the sea versus inside a mountain tunnel.”The Sakurao warehouse is exposed to warm sea breezes from the ocean and cold winds from the m o u n t a i n s , c r e a t i n g l a r g e t e m p e r a t u r e fluctuations throughout the year that accelerate aging and impart a subtle hint of saltiness to the c a s k s . I n c o n t ra s t , t h e To g o u c h i wa re h o u s e maintains a consistently cool temperature year-round, resulting in whisky that appeals with a fresh aroma and light taste.Yamamoto notes, “ The distinct dif ferences in a g i n g e n v i r o n m e n t s b r i n g o u t c l e a r characteristics in aroma and flavor, leading to the development of the two brands.”SAKURAO is known for its smokiness and rich sweetness, while TOGOUCHI has a light, fruity character. However, the JAL exclusive whiskies reverse those qualities.Yamamoto explains, “For SAKURAO, we poured unpeated new-make spirit into rare sherry casks that we ordered, and matured it in a location within the SAKURAO Distillery that has relatively little temperature variation. On the other hand, although we typically use unpeated new-make spirit for TOGOUCHI, this time we intentionally used medium-peated new-make spirit and poured it into bourbon barrels. These whiskies represent SAKURAO B&D’s first endeavor to reverse the essence of our SAKURAO and TOGOUCHI brands. Personally, I have watched over the casks with great care. ”18SAKURAO Distillery produces two distinctive whisky brandsleveraging its location surrounded by the calm Seto Inland Sea and the lush Chugoku Mountains. Both brands are now being offered as JAL exclusive products.SAKURAO: Whisky and the Sea, Where Unique Character BlossomsTOGOUCHI: Whisky from the MountainsPresident Shirai (right) and Mr. Yamamoto (left) beside a cask of SAKURAO single malt whisky.The two, close in age, have a strong bond andwork as good partners. The distillery stands by the sea, with Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island across the water.In the cool tunnel, the spirit breathesin the forest aromaand matures slowly.The sea breeze from the Seto Inland Sea nurtures the rich flavor of the base spirits.The sea breeze from the Seto Inland Sea nurtures the rich flavor of the new-make spirit.The high-performance hybrid stillcustom-ordered fromArnold Holstein in Germany.The warehouse located in a renovatedformer railway tunnel amongthe mountains of Akiota Town.TOGOUCHISAKURAOTwo Distinctive Whiskies Born from the Rich Natural Environment of Hiroshima
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