Wie berichtet, präsentierte die japanische Kiyokawa Distillery ihren ersten Single Malt Whisky The Cask am 19. März. Die Brennerei wählte für ihre Präsentation das traditionsreiche Restaurant Fujiya Gohonjin in Nagano, welches bereits seit 1648 besteht.
Für „The Cask“ verwendete die Kiyokawa Distillery 100 % selbst angebaute Gerste, die direkt neben der Destillerie von den eigenen Landwirten kultiviert wurde. Der Whisky reifte in einem ehemaligen Pedro-Ximénez-Fass. Aus diesem konnten 398 Flaschen in Fassstärke mit 61,1 % abgefüllt werden, die ab sofort für 319,99 Dollar unter https://dekanta.com/products/kiyokawa-the-cask erhältlich sind.
Mehr Details zu Kiyokawa – The Cask inklusive Tasting Notes und zu seiner Vorstellung im Restaurant Fujiya Gohonjin in der folgenden englischsprachigen Aussendung, die wir von dekanta.com erhalten haben. Im Anschluss an diese finden Sie noch eine Galerie mit Bildern der Präsentation:
| Presseartikel | Für den Inhalt ist das Unternehmen verantwortlich |
Kiyokawa Launches First Single Malt Whisky at Fujiya Gohonjin
Kiyokwa’s inaugural single malt whisky was launched to widespread acclaim at the Fujiya Gohonjin restaurant in Nagano City, which has stood since 1648. A farm-to-glass single cask expression matured for three years in an ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry cask and bottled at a cask strength of 61.1%, it comes presented in a bottle adorned with a handmade washi-paper label and presentation box.
On Thursday 19th March, Kiyokawa Distillery hosted a launch event at the historic Fujiya Gohonjin in Nagano City to officially launch their first single malt whisky release, titled The Cask. The event brought together local business leaders, whisky enthusiasts, members of the press, government officials, and friends and partners of the distillery.
The evening commenced with guests entering the epic 17th century building and being served welcome drinks – Kiyokawa’s delicious gin and vodka expressions were those on offer and they were resoundingly praised by those in attendance.
The Fujiya Gohonjin has stood for almost 400 years, with much of the internal decor being maintained and preserved. The wooden ceilings, panelled doors and immaculately designed gardens made for a truly unique location that set the scene for the evening ahead.
Guests were soon invited to make their way through to the restaurant, where they were greeted by a centrepiece of three stacked Kiyokawa casks, surrounded by tables with a view of an open plan kitchen. At the back of the room stood a table adorned with over 30 bottles and boxes of the brand new release, along with decorations created from the distillery’s homegrown barley.
dekanta’s Operations Director, Liam Hiller, gave a brief introduction speech, before Kiyokawa owner and Master Distiller, David Troiano, talked the room through his vision, not just for this release but also for the future of Kiyokawa Distilleries. His passion, attention to detail and innovative mindset were clear for all to see.
“The Cask, First Edition represents years of quiet work, through seasons of deep snow and summer heat, through harvest and fermentation, and through the slow transformation that only time allows. A single cask is uncompromising. It cannot hide within conformity. A single cask is an honest statement. It speaks clearly of where it was born. This whisky carries the character of our mountain climate, the structure, depth, and restraint. Whisky always carries the memory of the place where it matured. We are not chasing volume. We are building origin. And if we remain patient, disciplined, and true to our land, the rest will follow.”
David Troiano, Kiyokawa Founder and Master Distiller.
Then came the most important part of the evening – the whisky introduction and tasting. The Cask is a single cask release made from 100% homegrown barley, grown right outside the distillery by their own team of farmers. It was matured in an ex-Pedro Ximenez cask that has imparted an array of sweet and sticky notes onto the smooth, fruity distillate.
The nose, the palate and finish all have incredible length for a whisky of just three years old, with the aromas and flavours continuing to develop for some time as you taste.
At the heart of this bottle lies an extraordinary agricultural story. The barley itself was developed in collaboration with the institute of agriculture, resulting in a completely unique strain capable of growing beneath heavy snowfall. In Iiyama, where winter brings metres of snow and summers bring intense heat, this resilience is both impressive and essential. The town’s very name, Iiyama, meaning “rice mountain,” hints at a long-held belief that rice was the only viable crop in such a climate. That this bespoke barley now grows there, enduring extremes that would defeat conventional strains, speaks to Kiyokawa’s innovation. To honor the locality of the whisky, it was bottled in locally made glass, with hand made washi-paper labels which were produced from the old barely husks, highlighting Kiyokawa’s dedication to a sustainable approach
Once the whisky had been tasted, a 6 course tasting menu from chef Michio Nakamura was presented. Nakamura San trained for years in Sicily under a Michelin star winning chef and each and every plate that arrived from the kitchen was immaculate. The whisky ice cream, made with the same liquid that was being celebrated on the night, was a particular highlight.
Just when it seemed the evening couldn’t get any better, a group of Taiko drummers took the stage. Their high-energy performance built to a powerful finale, as the lead drummer closed by playing to the casks in the centre of the room – an unexpected gesture of honour.
Kiyokawa’s The Cask is limited to just 398 bottles, which are now available for purchase at https://dekanta.com/products/kiyokawa-the-cask.
RRP – $319.99 USD.
Tasting Notes
On the Nose: Dried figs, plum jam, roasted nuts.
On the Palate: Rich sherry sweetness, baking spice, umami depth.
The Finish: Long, warming, with lingering cocoa and oak.
