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December 26, 2020
An Online Tour of Hokuriku's Saburomaru Distillery, Which Developed the World's First Cast Pot Still, for Whisky Lovers | TRAVEL
TRAVEL | The Challenge of Toyama's Young Blender and Traditional Takaoka Copperware
A Premium Online Tour to Toyama's Whisky Distillery, Limited to 20 Guests
The fourth installment of Toyama Prefecture's "Online TOYAMA Travel" presents an online tour of "Wakatsuru Sake Brewery's Saburomaru Distillery," the only whisky distillery in the Hokuriku region, on January 22, 2021 (Friday) from 7 PM. Journey through the story of a young blender and traditional Takaoka copperware's challenge to create the world's first cast pot still.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi | Edit by TSUCHIDA Takashi
Enjoy the Journey with a Delivered Craft Highball and Toyama Snacks
Toyama Prefecture boasts the most "100 Famous Waters" in Japan, with eight selections. This abundance is a gift from its unique topography, where the distance from the 3,000-meter-class peaks of the Northern Alps, including the Tateyama Range, to Toyama Bay, over 1,000 meters deep, is merely a few dozen kilometers.
As it is said that "good sake is born from good water," Toyama Prefecture is known for its thriving sake brewing. Saburomaru Distillery, however, uses this famous water as its brewing water to create whisky, making it the only distillery in the Hokuriku region. It is operated by Wakatsuru Sake Brewery, a long-established company founded in Bunkyu 2 (1862). They have continued the unusual practice of brewing sake in winter and distilling whisky in summer since 1952.
Saburomaru Distillery has partnered with Oishi Seisakusho, known for its master craftsmen in temple bell casting, to successfully develop the world's first cast distillation apparatus (pot still). Named "ZEMON," this pot still has garnered global attention.
Using the casting method with molds, they have achieved both shorter manufacturing times and a longer lifespan compared to conventional pot stills. The alloy of copper and tin is said to produce whisky with a mellow character.
The aspirations of the young whisky blender and the masterful techniques of Takaoka copperware artisans brought this unique and ambitious idea to life. In this "Online TOYAMA Travel" event, you will virtually tour Saburomaru Distillery via Zoom, where the story behind the collaboration and its secrets will be revealed.
Furthermore, as a "travel souvenir," three types of snacks that pair well with whisky, developed in collaboration with the region's food industry using smoking chips made from Saburomaru Distillery's barrel wood, and a "Craft Highball" with a smoky flavor that redefines the standard for highballs, will be prepared. These will be delivered prior to the online travel, allowing participants to savor them while experiencing the allure of Toyama-made Japanese whisky.
Date & Time | January 22, 2021 (Friday) 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Broadcast Venue | Wakatsuru Sake Brewery, Saburomaru Distillery
- Tour Guides | Takahiko Inagaki (Wakatsuru Sake Brewery), Shohei Oishi (Oishi Seisakusho)
- Number of Participants | 20 people (first-come, first-served)
- Application Deadline | January 15, 2021 (Friday) Noon
- Application Website |https://www.online-toyama.jp
- Participation Fee | ¥3,000
