Shizuoka Contact S & United S

Shizuoka Contact S & United S

Founded in 2016 by Taiko Nakamura under Gaia Flow, the Shizuoka Whisky Distillery has quickly made a name for itself in Japan’s craft whisky scene. Nestled in the mountainous Tamagawa region of Shizuoka Prefecture near Mount Fuji, the distillery blends innovation with a deep respect for local resources. Its architecture seamlessly integrates modern design with natural elements, embodying Nakamura’s vision of a distillery rooted in both tradition and forward-thinking experimentation.

A key highlight is its use of two historic pot stills: one salvaged from the legendary Karuizawa Distillery and the world’s only wood-fired direct heat still, fuelled by locally sourced timber. This unique setup enables Shizuoka to craft distinctive spirit styles, often blended in releases like Contact S. The distillery is committed to using 100% local ingredients, including Shizuoka-grown barley, a proprietary yeast strain (NMZ-0688), and pure water from an on-site well fed by underground rivers.

Maturation is accelerated by the region’s significant temperature swings, with ex-bourbon barrels playing a primary role. Shizuoka’s debut single malts, Prologue K (distilled in the Karuizawa still) and Prologue W (from the wood-fired still), gained a cult following for their contrasting profiles – Prologue W, in particular, stood out for its refined fruitiness and balance. With limited releases and a highly sought-after private cask program, Shizuoka has solidified its reputation as a producer of small-batch, terroir-driven Japanese whisky.

Today, we’ll review the Shizuoka Contact S & United S, with plans to revisit the distillery later for a closer look at Prologue K and W.

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Port Askaig 17-year-old Elixir Distillers

Port Askaig 17-Year-Old

Port Askaig, a label of Islay single malts under the ownership of Elixir Distillers, is known for bottling undisclosed Caol Ila, Laphroaig, and Bunnahabhain whiskies under its name. The origin of the whisky depended on the age statement, indicating one of those distilleries. However, in October 2023, Port Askaig underwent a transformation, introducing new bottles, labels, and focusing on three releases: their flagship, the pre-existing 8-year-old, and two limited editions – a Cask Strength No Age Statement (NAS) and the Port Askaig 17-Year-Old. Today, we are reviewing the latter expression.

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The Cairn CRN57° 30-year-old

The Cairn CRN57° 30-Year-Old

The Cairn Distillery, nestled in the Cairngorms National Park near Grantown-on-Spey, represents a £25 million investment by fourth-generation family business Gordon & MacPhail, known for reviving Benromach Distillery in 1998. As the first new distillery built in the park since its establishment, it combines cutting-edge architecture with reverence for its dramatic Highland surroundings, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that frame views of the Cairngorm mountains and River Spey. While the first spirit flowed in 2022 – described as medium-bodied with sweet malt and vibrant fruit notes – the inaugural single malt won’t bottle until the mid-2030s. This extended maturation reflects Gordon & MacPhail’s legacy of patient cask management, with initial fills stored off-site. Since their own single malts won’t be released for years and decades, The Cairn released a series of blended malts, called CRN57 (named for the 57th parallel latitude), in order to preview the distillery’s future single malt character through expressions aged 12 to 70 years. Let’s review the one in the middle: The Cairn CRN57 30-year-old.

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