Shizuoka United S

Shizuoka United S is a cask strength, no age statement single malt from Gaiaflow's Shizuoka distillery, which opened in 2016 in Shizuoka prefecture on Japan's Pacific coast. Gaiaflow built the distillery around a distinctive combination of cedar washbacks, locally sourced barley and a pair of copper pot stills including one salvaged from the legendary Karuizawa distillery, giving early releases a character that has attracted considerable attention from Japanese whisky enthusiasts.

Matured in Ex-Bourbon casks and bottled at 50.5% for the Netherlands market, United S is a small-batch vatting drawn from the Shizuoka cellar in its eighth year of production. The bourbon wood delivers the distillery's typical notes of ripe orchard fruit, vanilla cream and light cereals, while the cedar washbacks contribute a gentle aromatic lift. At cask strength in a 500ml format, it presents the distillery's emerging style with directness and warmth.