Sansibar Whisky: Two Limited Shizuoka Single Malt Releases

Introduction and Overview

Sansibar Whisky has announced two new single cask releases from the renowned Shizuoka Distillery, exclusively bottled for Shinanoya in the German market. These limited edition expressions—one unpeated and one peated—reflect the innovative spirit of a distillery founded in 2017 by Gaia Flow. Located in Japan’s scenic Shizuoka Prefecture, celebrated for its pure water and natural beauty, the distillery also boasts a unique heritage by operating an old Karuizawa still, evoking the golden era of Japanese whisky.

Shizuoka Single Cask #025

The first release, Shizuoka Single Cask #025, was crafted using a Karuizawa legacy still alongside a Forsyth copper still and matured in a bourbon barrel. Bottled at a robust 57.6% cask strength and limited to 197 bottles—with no colorants or chill filtration—this unpeated single malt offers an exceptional tasting experience. Its tasting notes include:

• Aroma: Ester-driven nuances featuring banana, vanilla, lacquered furniture, fruit candies, apricot marmalade, amaretto, and hints of freshly shaved wood and cedar.
• Taste: An intense profile marked by vanilla, caramelized sugar, banana mousse, vanilla pudding, and a touch of mint.
• Finish: Dry and woody with a gentle, sweet smokiness reminiscent of toasted bread and aged oak; with water, additional layers of coconut and vanilla caramel emerge.

Shizuoka Peated Single Cask #214 & Conclusion

The second release, Shizuoka Peated Single Cask #214, introduces a bold, peated character by using Scottish peated malt. Distilled in the same dual stills and matured in a bourbon barrel, this expression is bottled at an impressive 64.3% cask strength and limited to 202 bottles, also without added color or chill filtration. Its tasting notes reveal:

• Aroma: A powerful blend of soot, dry embers, and the warmth of a mountain hut hearth, evolving into roasted peanuts, walnut cookies, subtle ester-like fruitiness, banana, mint, and vanilla.
• Taste: A dense, pronounced smoky profile complemented by hints of crispy grilled bacon, BBQ sauce, jelly beans, and banana cake.
• Finish: A long, lingering conclusion with nuances of banana mousse, baked apple peel, cinnamon, and a trace of roasted coffee bean bitterness.

These exclusive releases underscore the innovative blend of tradition and modernity in Japanese single malt whisky production. With their limited edition status and distinct character profiles, they offer whisky enthusiasts and collectors a truly unique tasting experience. For further details, visit Shinanoya and explore more about the distillery at Shizuoka Distillery.