Yuza Single Malt 2022

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 62% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

The Second Edition 2022 brings together selected whiskies from the Yuza Distillery's first production season. They were filled into casks for maturation between February and July 2019. Bourbon and sherry casks were among those used for this bottling. Part of the Cask Strength series, the edition was bottled at natural cask strength of 62%. It was released in limited quantities in early October 2022.

Its fruity character reflects the autumn harvest theme of Yamagata, a prefecture known for its abundance of fruit. Dried fruit, apple and pear combine with vanilla sweetness and a supple, creamy mouthfeel, while the whisky has a pronounced body. A little water brings the fruit notes further forward and makes the taste creamier. The single malt is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and comes in a 0.7-litre bottle with gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, peach and apple combine with a yoghurt note.
• Palate: On the palate, figs and apricots create a sweet-and-tart interplay. A light oak note complements the medium body.
• Finish: Fruity sweetness lingers on the finish, joined by tannic notes reminiscent of sherry and woody tones.

Distillery/Bottler:

The Yuza Distillery began operating in 2018 in Japan's Yamagata prefecture. The company behind it is Kinryu Corporation, founded in 1950 with capital from nine sake producers in Sakata. Its move into whisky production builds on the company's experience with sake and shochu. Yuza uses stills from Forsyths and focuses on single malt.

During a two-year search, Kinryu assessed ten possible locations before choosing the site at the foot of Mount Chokai. The cold spring water, clean air and humidity of the surroundings were among the deciding factors. Rain and snow replenish the groundwater around the mountain. With a distillery area of around 620 square metres, Yuza deliberately operates on a small scale. Its TLAS concept stands for Tiny, Lovely, Authentic and Supreme, linking this compact size with the ambition to produce distinctive Japanese whisky.

Facts: