The Gaiaflow Shizuoka Distillery Private Cask 2025 program makes your dream of becoming a “whisky cask owner” come true.Choose your favorite flavor from a wide variety of combinations and spend time growing together with your own whisky.
Surrounded by the nature of Shizuoka, the whisky is nurtured in casks for many years, and each cask matures to a completely different flavor. Your own whisky, filled with the magic of time, will add a special color to your life’s anniversary. For birthdays that mark a major milestone. For a child who will come of age in a few years. For a couple’s wedding anniversary. To enjoy with your regular friends. To celebrate the anniversary of a restaurant filled with memories. For a company’s anniversary.

Image source: press release
1. what is the private cask 2025 program?
Gaiaflow Shizuoka Distillery (555 Ochiai, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture / Representative: Taikou Nakamura), a whisky producer and distributor in Shizuoka Prefecture, announces that it will begin offering its own whisky by the barrel under the “Private Cask 2025” program, which allows customers to reserve and purchase whole casks of its original whisky for sale, starting April 1, 2025, with a variety of We are pleased to announce that we have started to offer the product in various variations, including barley malt, distiller, cask, and cask capacity.
In recent years, the Shizuoka Distillery of Gaiaflow Co., Ltd. has been making locally-rooted whisky in the mountainous area of Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, which has been attracting attention with the nickname “Okusizu ” .
The “Private Cask” program has been running since the distillery’s inception in 2016, and is open to cask owners. We accept reservations for casks filled with the original spirit after distillation, and deliver the bottled product in as little as three years.
This program, which fulfills the dream of whisky lovers to “own their own barrels,” is becoming more and more popular every year.
For “Private Cask 2025,” which will be cask-filled in 2025, we have begun accepting reservations for 180L barrels and 50L Octave casks, and have now increased the number of barley malts from one to three, allowing customers to choose their preferred malt type.
2. About Shizuoka Private Cask 2025
2-1. 3 types of barley malt differing in origin and malting method
At Shizuoka Distillery, we believe that the taste of the barley used influences the flavor of the whisky, depending on its place of origin. In order to provide the same experience in our private casks, we are now offering a choice of non-peated and smoky peated malts from English barley as well as malts produced in Japan, starting April 1. You can choose the type of barley you prefer, with or without the smoky taste, and the differences in flavor between the different barley growing regions.
【Non-peated malt produced in Japan】
Japanese (outside Shizuoka Prefecture) peat is used in the brewing process without burning peat. The taste is mild and delicate.
【Non-peat black peat from the U.K.】
Made in England without burning peat. A rich, full-bodied taste with no hint of habit.
【English peated malt】
A malt produced in the U.K. by burning peat. It has a distinctive smoky flavor.
2-2. 2 types available by first distillation machine
Single malt whisky is basically distilled twice in a single distillation machine (pot still). At Shizuoka Distillery, the first distillation is carried out in two distillation machines, W and K. At Shizuoka Distillery, the distillation is carried out in the first distillation machine. Shizuoka Distillery releases “Pot Still W” and “Pot Still K” as a series of limited-quantity annual releases to take advantage of the difference in first distillation machines. Private Cask 2025″ is also available in two different first distillation types.
*W (direct wood-fired heating): Heavy and powerful, with a savory sweet flavor.
*K (indirect steam heating): Light and floral, with a fruity aroma.

Image source: press release
2-3. 180L and 50L, two different keg sizes
Another important feature of private casks is the choice of cask size.
We offer two types of barrels: a standard 180L “Barrel” and 50L mini barrel “Octave”.
【Barrels used for Private Cask 2025 Barrel】↓
Barrels” are new casks imported from Kentucky, U.S.A., filled with Shizuoka Distillery’s single malt and matured. New barrels give a robust vanilla aroma and savory spice to the original spirit, but the components of the barrels may be too strong. For this reason, the Shizuoka distillery’s original sake is first filled and used for aging to allow the wood and the sake to become accustomed to each other. After a certain period of maturation, the sake is removed from the casks and used for private casks.

Image source: press release
【Casks to be used for Private Cask 2025 Octave】↓
New casks about a quarter of the normal barrel size, made for Shizuoka Distillery’s private casks.
After arriving from a Scottish cask maker, it is used to age the original Blended M, Shizuoka Distillery’s blended whisky, to allow the wood and the original whisky to become acclimated to each other. Like the barrels, the barrels are aged for a certain period of time before becoming casks for private casks. The original Blended M is available in three types: non-peated, peated, and grain, and since the original whisky aged immediately before the Blended M remains as an accent in the barrel, you can also choose the type of barrel to achieve the finish you prefer.

Image source: press release
(1) Ex-M Non-Pete Cask
Used to mature non-peat whisky. Finished with an emphasis on the original flavor of the malt whisky.
(2) Ex-M peated cask
Used to mature peated whisky. Slightly smoky finish.
(3) Ex-M Grain Cask
Used to mature grain whisky. Finishes with a sense of grain and complexity.
2-4.Cask Owner Benefits
(1) Cask Filling of Unblended Sake
Owners can experience “cask filling” by themselves. The process can now be filmed and widely publicized. The keg filling will be timed to coincide with the tour on weekdays (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) during the period specified by us. If you wish to have a keg filling, please be sure to select “keg filling desired” when you apply on the product page. We will contact you shortly to schedule the tour.
In addition to cask filling, you will also be able to label cask samples by yourself and experience the moment when your own whisky is born.
Click here to read the owner’s report on the cask filling.
(2) New Make Spirits (200ml)
The new make is the new make spirits (freshly distilled original spirit) from your own barrels that were actually cask-filled.
Please taste the taste before aging in the barrels.
(3) Free tour
Cask owners will receive a free tour of the Shizuoka Distillery. (including 2 accompanying persons).
(4) Owner’s badge
The type of private cask is engraved along with the Shizuoka Distillery logo.

Citation: Press Release
♦Apply here↓♦
Private Cask 2025 Octave Order Page
Private Cask 2025 Barrel Application Page
3.About Gaiaflow Shizuoka Distillery

Please take a look at the past articles about Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery. ↓
