Shizuoka United S First Edition Single Malt Whisky

Opened in 2017, Shizuoka distillery is one of the youngest in Japan. It is located in the mountains around the city named Shizuoka and it is owned by Gaia Flow. It is on the banks of the Nakakouchi River in the Tamagawa District of Oku-Shizu, relatively close to iconic Mount Fuji.
The grain mill and one of their wash stills were bought over from the now legendary Karuizawa distillery, which was dismantled in 2011. The equipment was purchased as is, with only one of the three Karuizawa stills still in use. The other two displayed are at the new distillery, as a tribute to Karuizawa.

This release from Shizuoka distillery, United S is a blend of two single malt expressions Shizuoka W and Shizuoka K and was released in late 2022. They used primarily Japanese malt but also Scottish non-peated malt, peated malt, and even beer malt. For United S, the whiskies were aged mostly in first-fill Bourbon casks, but also wine casks and more.

    Nose:    Gentle wood smoke with earthy notes, but also sweet caramel, grilled mangoes and stewed apples, nectarines and peaches, as well as some clever farmy notes and a touch of fennel.

    Taste:    Great oily mouthfeel. A peppery arrival with creamy vanilla, earthy smoke and sandal wood, as well as tobacco. There are whispers of orange peel and lychees, but it's certainly not as fruity as the nose.

    Finish:    More of the above and pretty long too.