The Saburomaru Distillery, well-known for its “Mastering the Peat,” is now offering the eighth installment of its Tarot Card series.
This tarot card series will be released at a rate of about two per year starting in 2024.
Chariot” depicts the balance between reason and instinct, struggling with conflict, yet moving forward with vigor.
Again, two types will be released simultaneously: a standard version and a cask-strength version.
A solitary spirit pushing forward in the wilderness.
The earth-shaking sound of wheels scorching the atmosphere.
In 2021, Saburomaru Distillery ventured into uncharted territory. We brewed it with super-heavily peated Highland malt with a phenol value of 80ppm, the strongest in Saburomaru’s history. The intense smoke, reminiscent of dry land, scorches the atmosphere, and its aftertaste resonates as powerfully as the earth’s echoes on a wheel. It is a symbol of the will to face difficulties and independence to move forward without relying on anyone else. The path that Saburomaru pioneers is always ahead of us, always challenging and rushing forward.
Takahiko Inagaki, Saburomaru Distillery
1-2. Product Specifications
Single malt “Saburomaru VII THE CHARIOT”
Alcohol content
48% alcohol by volume
Sake classification
Single malt Whisky
Malt used
Malt (Hebeley Highland Peated 80ppm)
Year of Distillation
2021
Volume
700ml
Number of bottles
Limited edition of 7,500 bottles
Price
18,000 yen (tax included)
Single malt “Saburomaru VII THE CHARIOT Cask Strength”
Alcohol content
59% alcohol by volume
By Alcohol
Single malt Whisky
Malt used
Malt (Hebeley Highland Peated 80ppm)
Year of distillation
2021
Volume
700ml
Number of bottles
Limited edition of 1,800 bottles
Price
26,400 yen (tax included)
2. Thoughts on this Arcana
The motif is based on Tarot cards (consisting of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana), and I adopted the 22 Major Arcana card No. 8 “THE CHARIOT”.
Keywords: will, rush, independence, challenge
We asked Yukie Kano, a cutout artist from Himi-City, Toyama Prefecture, to create a cutout of the “The Chariot” card, which was used for the label design.
2-1. Lottery sales limited to members of the online store “Me and ALC.
Single malt “Saburomaru VI THE CHARIOT Normal Version and Cask Strength” (1 bottle each) set will be sold by lottery exclusively for members at the Wakatsuru Shuzo online store “Me and, ALC.
Please apply after answering the quiz about Saburomaru Distillery, which has become a regular event.
Application period : Thursday, November 20, 2025 12:00 noon – Wednesday, November 26, 2025 23:59
・If you wish to purchase, please register as a member in advance.
・If you are currently a registered member but have not yet registered for the newsletter, please go to My Account to make the necessary changes.
・Winners will be notified directly by e-mail.
・Only one entry per person is allowed.
Wakatsuru Shuzo Company, which operates the Saburomaru Distillery, is a Shuzo with a very long history in Hokuriku, having started sake production in 1862 in Saburomaru Village, Tonami-City, Toyama Prefecture.
After the end of World War II, seeking to break through a deadlocked situation, the company independently researched distilled spirits production and obtained a Whisky manufacturing license in 1952. Starting in 1953, it began selling “Sunshine Whisky” within Toyama Prefecture.
In 2016, more than 60 years had passed since the first Whisky was made and the distillery was aging. The distillery had been aging for more than 60 years since the first Whisky was made, and the distillery was now in a state of disrepair. Therefore, we launched the ” Saburomaru Distillery Renovation Project” and challenged crowdfunding in order to secure funds.
With the passion for Whisky making that has been preserved for more than 60 years and the challenge to develop Toyama Whisky into a world-class Whisky, we received 3,825,000 yen in support, far exceeding the 25 million yen goal. In 2023, the distillery will be reopened as Komada Distillery.
In 2023, an animated film titled ” Welcome to Komada Distillery ” will be released, and the distillery featured in the film is modeled after Saburomaru Distillery.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
