[box type=”info” align=”” class=”” width=””]Added November 21, 2022. Applications were closed around 5:00 p.m. on November 21 as we have reached the maximum number of applicants. [/box]
The Sasanokawa Brewery, Asaka Distillery, and the online store Fukushimaya Shoten have been working on a whisky barrel owner system for the past five years.
From 2022, the sixth year of the program, Sasanokawa Brewery and Azumi Distillery will take over the program and continue it as the new “Asaka Distillery Whisky Barrel Owner Program.”
It does not mean that you buy one barrel, but rather you share one barrel with 260 units of the number of units offered. The price for one unit (two bottles) is 23,000 yen (including tax and shipping).
The price of cask ownership at other distilleries is often several hundred thousand to several million yen, which is not an amount that individuals can afford, so I think that this single unit system is very welcome.
The application period is from November 20 to December 10. We’re only accepting 260 units (limit 2 units per person), so if you’re interested, get in quick! →The application period is from November 20 to December 10, and will be closed at around 5:00 p.m. on November 21 when the maximum number of applicants has been reached.
It took less than 2 hours after it was posted on the official Twitter page of Asaka Distillery. It seems that this event is held every year, so if you are interested in taking part next year, follow us on Twitter. If you are interested, please follow us on Twitter. Click here to follow us.
1. How to apply – Flow of application
(1) Click here Confirmation of Intention to Participate Fill out the form and send it to us. →Applications will close at 5:00 p.m. on November 21, 2012, when the maximum number of applications has been received.
(2)The URL of the payment page (Sasanokawa Sake Brewery/Rakuten Ichiba) will be sent to those who have applied for participation by e-mail in due course, and the payment procedure must be completed by Thursday, December 15.
Payment can be made by credit card, bank transfer, deferred payment, Apple Pay, or convenience store payment.
(3) Issuance of Owner’s Certificate: Scheduled for late February 2023.
Applications will be closed when the number of applications reaches the number of openings (260). If the number of applications does not reach 200 units, the program will be cancelled.
2. Barrel Owner Details
New American oak barrels from cantoncooperage (www.cantoncooperage.com) in the United States will be used. These barrels are made from carefully selected fine-grained oak that has been naturally dried for 24 months and charred by skilled barrel makers over an open fire to maximize the aromas of the barrel. The aging period will be the same as before, 5 years, and annual tours are planned.
| Capacity | 700ml |
| Price |
2 bottles per mouthful, 23,000 yen (including tax and shipping) |
| Cask filling | Scheduled for February 2023 |
| Bottling |
Scheduled for February 2028 |
| Remarks |
The number of bottles is 260 (first-come, first-served basis, up to two bottles per person). The alcohol content will be adjusted to 48%. |
3. Other details
Label design, etc. are currently unknown. There will be an annual tour, so we are looking forward to it.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
