Ryuu Bi
Descendant of the Han royal family and founding emperor of “Shoku”.
He valued righteousness, swore an oath with “Kan U” and “Chou Hi” in the Touen, and charged through the tumultuous times with ideals and conviction.
His kindness and magnanimity attracted many, including “Son Shoukou”, and he united renowned generals like “Shokatsu Ryou” and “Chou Un” to Shoku. In his later years, he was defeated in battle against “Go” and passed away before achieving his full ambitions.
A bottle expressing a rich character that is gentle and approachable, yet also profound.
The “JW Logo” has been adopted to enhance the transparency and trustworthiness of Japanese Whisky.
The five products in this series feature the “JW Logo,” established by the Japan Spirits and Liquors Makers Association (JSLMA) to enhance the recognition of Japanese Whisky and improve its identification for customers both domestically and internationally.
The “JW Logo” is a certification mark granted only to products that meet the “Voluntary Standards for Labeling Japanese Whisky,” established in 2021 and fully implemented in 2024.
Details regarding the establishment of the “Japanese Whisky Logo Mark” by the Japan Spirits and Liquors Makers Association
Displaying this logo enables consumers to instantly identify products manufactured in compliance with the labeling standards, contributing to enhanced trust and transparency in Japanese Whisky.
Sambomaru Distillery will continue striving for proper labeling and quality improvement, promoting the sincere production of whisky.
Wakatsuru Shuzo Co., Ltd., which operates the Saburomaru Distillery, is a sake brewery with a very long history in the Hokuriku region, having begun sake production in 1862 in Saburomaru Village, Tonami-Gun, Toyama Prefecture.
After the end of World War II, seeking to break through a difficult period, the company independently researched distilled spirits production and obtained a whisky manufacturing license in 1952. Sales of ” Sunshine Whisky ” began within Toyama Prefecture starting in 1953.
By 2016, over 60 years after its first whisky production, the distillery had become significantly aged. “We cannot allow the only distillery in the Hokuriku region, and the whisky production that has continued here, to cease.” With this conviction, the ” Saburomaru Distillery Renovation Project” was launched, and the company took on the challenge of crowdfunding to secure the necessary funds.
Responding to the call to preserve the passion for whisky-making upheld for over 60 years and to nurture Toyama whisky into a world-class spirit, the project received support far exceeding its ¥25 million goal, raising ¥38,255,000. In 2017, the Saburomaru Distillery renovated its buildings and production equipment, restarting as a whisky distillery.
In 2023, the animated film ” Welcome to Komada Distillery ” was released, featuring the Saburomaru Distillery as the model for the distillery depicted in the story.
In 2019, through joint development with Oigo Manufacturing, a master craftsman of temple bells, the world’s first cast-iron still, “ZEMON,” was developed.
A brief distillery timeline. New equipment and products are introduced annually, and rumors suggest a Grain Processing Facility may be completed by 2025?
A collaboration with the simulation game masterpiece, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series.
The first installment of the previous series featured “Shokatsu Ryou Koumei”, “Sou Sou”, “Shuu Yu”, and his wife “Shou Kyou”.
This time, it’s everyone’s favorite “Ryuu Bi”.
A “Ryuu Bi” package, who has been the protagonist in various works,
many will want it just for the cover art. For those lucky enough to have acquired it before,
will definitely want to add this to their collection.
スポンサーリンク
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.
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.
