New product release from Yuza distillery of Kinryu Co. Blended Japanese Whiskey “YUZA Classical Blend”.Detailed information and more.
Yuza distillery in Yamagata Prefecture, one of the smallest distilleries in Japan, has announced the release of a new Japanese blended whiskey.
Yuza distillery produces malt whisky, of course, but did they ever produce grain whisky? We will introduce the following products with attention to this issue.
YUZA Classical Blend
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Tasting Notes
In mid-October 2024, YUZA Classical Blend, the first blended Japanese whiskey from the Yuza Distillery, will be released in limited quantities.
All of the malt and grain are domestically produced. The malt ratio is over 60%, and the key malt is made from original Mizunara oak barrels, creating a classical and luxurious blend.
We hope you enjoy the unique blend of malts and grains from the Yuza Distillery.
Aroma and Taste Characteristics
The aroma is complex and gorgeous, with a fresh, forest-like aroma overlaid with the sweetness of vanilla and honey. The smooth, fruity taste leads to a long, lingering finish.Reference: New Product Information (yuza-disty.jp)
1-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 48% (alcohol by volume) |
| Sake type | Blended Japanese Whisky |
| Cask type | Key malt: Mizunara oak |
| Content volume | 700ml |
| Suggested retail price | 11,000 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | Mid-October 2024 |
About Yuza Distillery
Yuza Distillery
Ltd. opened its third whisky distillery in the Tohoku region in 2018 in Yuza-machi, Yamagata Prefecture.
Blessed with fresh, clean air and water from Mt. Chokai, which has been selected as one of the “100 best water villages,” Yuza is a perfect place for making top-quality whiskey.
The pot stills used are made by Forsyth, and five fermentation tanks are made of Canadian bay pine. The process and aging methods are also based on Scottish methods, with young whisky not being casked, and only whisky that has been fully matured to its satisfaction is produced, focusing only on single malts. Because it is a small distillery that cannot mass-produce whisky, they go to great lengths in every detail to produce the highest quality whisky with the utmost care.
Yuza Distillery Whisky
”TLAS” conceptThe whiskey produced at the Yuza distillery is the result of our efforts to create the highest quality whiskey,
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 whiskey distillery, with a site area of approximately 4,550 square meters and a distillery area of approximately 620 square meters. The exterior of the distillery may look small and cute, but the whiskey produced here is authentic and of the highest quality. While using traditional production methods, the distillery also has a Japanese style of “monozukuri” (craftsmanship), which makes it a one-of-a-kind Japanese whiskey.
Quote from Yuza’s official website
Image credit:Yuza Distillery official website
| Location | 20 Kakujita, Yoshide, Yuza-machi, Akumi-gun, Yamagata 999-8302 |
| Start of operation | 2018 |
For more information about Yuza Distillery, please refer to this article.
3. last but not least
After all, Yuza is supposed to focus only on single malt production, and since they do not use phrases such as “in-house production,” we can assume that the grain whiskey is provided by other distilleries.
Since there are only a limited number of distilleries in Japan that produce and own grain whisky that is more than three years old, we can narrow down the search to some extent, but the correct answer seems to be hard to find.
Anyway, I would like to try this blended whisky made with more than 60% of Yuza malt whiskey.
Please take a look at other articles about Yuza distillery.
