Information on the release of new YUZA products in 2024 from the Yuza distillery in Yamagata Prefecture. Includes information on new releases as well as past products.
Unlike the previous edition series of YUZA, this new release, named ‘YUZA Spring in Japan 2024’, how is it going to turn out?
1. YUZA Spring in Japan 2024
Yuza distillery official HP
Yuza distillery official HP
In early April 2024, the single malt Japanese whisky YUZA Spring in Japan 2024 will be released in limited quantities.
First-fill bourbon casks aged 4-5 years have been carefully selected and vatted with sherry cask whiskey as the key malt.
The sweet, gorgeous aroma spreads out as if spring is opening at once after a harsh winter in a snowy country. The smooth, fruity taste is layered with richness and continues into a pleasant aftertaste.Please enjoy the evolved “Yuza distillery character” and the spring atmosphere.
Characteristics of aroma and flavour
Based on the fruity character of the Yuza distillery, sweet aromas reminiscent of vanilla and honey spread out. The smooth taste, with a hint of sherry cask-derived opulence, is richly layered and continues into a pleasant aftertaste.Reference: Yuza Distillery official website.
| Suggested retail price | 16,500 yen (tax included) |
| Start of sale | Early April 2024 |
| Content volume | 700 ml |
| Alcohol content | 55%. |
| Cask alcohol | 1st fill bourbon, sherry |
2. what is the Yuza distillery?
 |
 |
Image credit: Yuza Distillery Facebook
This is the third whisky distillery in the Tohoku region, opened in 2018 by Kinryu Co. in the town of Yuza, Yamagata Prefecture.
Yuza-cho is blessed with fresh, clean air and water from the subsoil of the famous Mt Chokaisan, which has been selected as one of the “100 best water villages “, and is ideal for producing top-quality whisky.
The pot stills used are made by Forsyth, there are five fermentation tanks and Canadian bay pine is used. The process and maturation methods are also based on Scottish methods: young whisky is not casked and only whisky that has been matured to a satisfactory level is produced, focusing only on single malts. Because it is a small distillery that cannot mass-produce whisky, it is able to go to great lengths in every detail to produce the highest quality whisky with the utmost care and attention.
Yuza distillery whisky
Concept “TLAS”.The whiskies produced at the Yuza distillery are,
Tiny
Lovely
Authentic
Supreme
The concept of the distillery is “TLAS”, which stands for the initials of the above.The Yuza distillery is a very small distillery for a whisky distillery, with a site area of 4,550 m2 and a distillery area of 620 m2. The exterior may look small and cute, but the whisky produced is authentic and of the highest quality. It is a one-of-a-kind Japanese whisky produced using traditional methods, but with the Japanese approach to craftsmanship that is uniquely Japanese.
Quote from Yuza’s official website.
List of other distilleries
3. whiskies from the Yuza distillery released in the past
3-1. YUZA First Edition 2022
3-2.YUZA Second Edition 2022.
3-3.YUZA 2023
3-4.YUZA Third Edition 2023
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.
