About The Distillery

Sasanokawa Shuzo's sake and shochu making dates back all the way to 1710. However, almost 200 years later, they decided to dive into the whisky making market in 1946 thus setting up Asaka Distillery. Their quality was able to stand toe to toe with large rivals like Nikka and Suntory in the northeast region of Japan. Most importantly, Sasanokawa Shuzo were also the ones who famously helped Ichiro Akuto (Ichiro's Malt / Hanyu Distillery) save his whisky stocks and allowing him to build the Ichiro's Malt brand.

The distillery's mash tun and 5 washbacks are all stainless steel. Unlike other Japanese whisky distilleries using imported Forsyths stills, Asaka went with two copper pot stills made right here in Japan by Miyake Seisakusho. The wash still is 2000L, and spirit still 1000L, both using percolators for heating. The whisky is mostly non-peated and will be rested in primarily bourbon casks but also some sherry and wine casks.

The production process combines traditional Scottish methods with Japanese precision. They utilize copper pot stills, aging their whiskies in a variety of barrels, including bourbon, sherry, and Mizunara oak casks. These casks impart distinct flavors and aromas, such as rich maltiness, delicate fruit, and exotic spices, resulting in complex, well-balanced whiskies. Non-chill filtration and natural coloring ensure the integrity of the spirit.