Shizuoka Pot Still K 2022 First Edition 55.50% NV

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Words of Whisky (87)

BOW (89)

The Shizuoka Distillery is located in the wooded hills west of the town of Shizuoka. And that city is about 1.5 hours by fast Shinkansen train, south of the center of Tokyo. Taiko Nakamura was inspired during a trip to distilleries in Scotland, and decided to build his own distillery near his hometown of Shizuoka. His wife Mika imports Scotch whisky with her company Gaia-flow. So they were already in buisness with the drink.
As an engineer, Taiko had his own installation company and he has used that knowledge to build a distillery that is very traditional on the one hand, and very modern on the other. As you walk through this beautifully situated distillery, you will notice the beautiful wooden washbacks, as well as the very modern return valves and sight glasses.
For the connoisseurs of Japanese whiskies, the name Karuizawa has almost a mythical meaning. The stills from this vanished distillery were part of Taiko Nakamura's plans when he designed the Shizuoka Distillery. Previously, he had acquired these stills at an auction. Unfortunately, however, the karuizawa stills were too bad to use, except for one.
The Shizuoka Distillery now has 2 stills that were made at Forsyth's in Scotland and 1 still that previously served at Karuizawa a long time ago.
The "old" Karuizawa still in is once again in production.
But the 2 "Scottish" stills are also special to say the least. Especially the “Wash Still” can be described as such. This is in fact heated directly with a wood fire in the boiler under the still. All day long, an employee is stoking the fire by adding logs to the fire.
Something that doesn’t happen anymore, but gives the whisky a special character.

Shizuoka Pot Still K is entirely distilled in the old Karuizawa still where only Japanese barley is used for the production of this whisky. Something that is we reckon is extremely special since Japanese whisky is generally only produced with imported European barley.
The scents in the nosing are mostly floral and fruity with citrus tones, vanilla and tree resin. Very rich without becoming too sharp.
The palate experiences rich malt, lime and freshly beaten cream with honey and ripe melons. In the finish: smooth sweetness mixed with oak wood that lingers for a long time.

Serge Valentin (87)

I have to say the 'Japanese barley' version did not impress me that much back in July (WF 83), it was a tad spiely. Colour: white wine. Nose: it's rather grassy an a little medicinal (bandages). Rather a lot of camphor too, then eucalyptus pastilles, sauna oil, thyme oil… This should cure a cold. Then stones, pebbles and sands of many kinds, oyster shells, limestone, plaster… With water: it moves towards full chalkiness, with a little fennel. Mouth (neat): very smoky. This is almost some peat-smoked green chartreuse. Good fun. With water: excellent! Slightly evocative of ultra-fresh sake, then young Islay (first distillery from Port Ellen, on the shore). That should be the medicinal side. Finish: rather long, peaty, ashy, with some lemony fatness. Shall we mention that Italian lemon liqueur once more? Comments: imported barley! It reminds me of the old story of the Scottish chef who goes to a restaurant in Paris. He orders smoked salmon from Scotland, the best he's ever eaten! At the end of the meal, he goes to talk to the cook and asks why his salmon is so much better than his own in Scotland. The French chef replies: 'Oh but that's because our Scottish salmon is imported!'