Shizuoka United S 2023 Winter Edition

In the deep-green hills outside Shizuoka, the distillery runs on contrast. Still W, a Forsyth-built pot perched over a crackling log furnace, produces muscular spirit laden with roasted nuts and campfire warmth. A few metres away, Still K—an elegant 1950s copper pot rescued from the legendary Karuizawa distillery—coaxes a light, floral new-make through its long, slim neck. Both first distillates converge in a separate spirit still (“S”) for their second run, then slip into mostly first-fill bourbon barrels, with a scattering of other casks to add nuance. 

The mash bill is equally eclectic: Japanese two-row barley joins imported peated and un-peated malt plus a dash of beer malt, building layers of orchard fruit, toasted cereal and a soft wisp of smoke. Bottled natural colour and non-chill-filtered at a sturdy 50.5 % ABV. Just 6 000 bottles were released for the domestic market; any that appear overseas are the lucky spill-over. This is Shizuoka’s house style in a glass: bright yet broad-shouldered, complex yet easy to pour any night of the week.