Shizuoka New Make Wood Fired Still

Shizuoka is a new distillery founded in 2016. The owner is Gaia Flow, one of the bigger importers of distilled in Japan who – among others – import the Asta Morris releases. So it comes as no surprise that Asta Morris was able to get some of the new make, both from their ‘wood fired still’ and their ‘Karuizawa still’. Yes, you read that right. I’ll gladly put them head to head, starting with the former.

The typical new make notes are clearly present: overcooked vegetables (spinach, I kid you not) with a salty edge. This is surprisingly umami. I even get some curry on the nose.

Very clean on the palate with a lovely sweet touch. Barley sugars galore. Clean and attractive.

In the very long finish – what did you expect with such an ABV? – I cannot shake the feeling that this might become a grand single malt.

Sweet, clean new make with a bright future. I almost am reluctant to say it, but this is better than the new make from the Karuizawa still. Thanks, Bart H., for sharing your sample with me.