Sabromaru was featured in My navi news premium
How the oldest distillery in Hokuriku, Saburomaru Distillery, came to be recognized around the world
Saburomaru Distillery, owned by Wakatsuru Shuzō, is the oldest whisky distillery in the Hokuriku region. Yet it has forged its own path and brought innovation to Japanese whisky. In this first part, we explore the passion behind Saburomaru Distillery by focusing on its leader, President and CEO Takahiko Inagaki.
Saburomaru Distillery’s Commitment to Smoky Whisky
As Japanese whisky gains global attention, one distillery that has won enthusiastic support from fans for its focus on “peat(*)” is Saburomaru Distillery of Wakatsuru Shuzō, located in Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture.
(*) Peat is a type of peat moss (partially decayed plant matter) traditionally used as fuel in the malting process for Scotch whisky, giving it a smoky aroma.
Saburomaru Distillery broke new ground in the whisky world by creating the world’s first cast-metal pot still, called “ZEMON.” Its single malt whisky, aptly named “Saburomaru,” has earned high acclaim in international whisky competitions.
The driving force behind these achievements is the fifth-generation President and CEO of Wakatsuru Shuzō, Mr. Takahiko Inagaki. By hearing his story, we will uncover the distinctive qualities of Saburomaru Distillery and the allure of its “Saburomaru” whisky.
An Avalanche of Purchase Requests for “Saburomaru 1960,” Distilled by His Great-Grandfather
Wakatsuru Shuzō, the parent company of Saburomaru Distillery, began brewing sake in 1862 (Bunkyū 2) under license from the Kaga Domain. For the past 160 years, it has continued making various kinds of alcoholic beverages. The company began producing whisky in 1952 (Showa 27). It all started when Mr. Kotaro Inagaki, the second-generation head of the company and great-grandfather of Mr. Takahiko Inagaki, took on the challenge of making distilled spirits due to the postwar rice shortage. That was how “Sunshine Whisky” was born. Although a fire broke out in 1953 and put the company at risk, they rebuilt with local support, and the whisky business continues to this day.
However, around 2015 when Mr. Takahiko Inagaki first became involved in the business, the whisky division was in decline and accounted for only about 5% of total sales. While pondering the future of the whisky business, he encountered a batch of Wakatsuru malt distilled by his great-grandfather back in 1960.
We discovered it from our old records. When I tasted it, I was truly amazed. It went beyond whether it was just ‘good’ or not. It had a multi-layered depth that only comes from aging across generations, and I felt as though this whisky connected me with my great-grandfather’s era,” says Mr. Inagaki.
The whisky he tasted then was named “Saburomaru 1960” and sold in 2015 for 550,000 yen (around 1 million yen per year of aging was the rough basis for the price). Even so, Mr. Inagaki was confident that people would see its value. In the first lottery sale, they received four times as many applications as the number of bottles available.
“We were already making peaty, smoky malt whisky from the start. But even during the local whisky boom of the 1980s, people called it ‘medicinal-smelling,’ and it seems we only sold about 140 bottles a year in 1.8-liter bottle terms. Probably, when the distillery was relocated in 1960, some whisky was left behind on purpose as a commemorative batch, and then it was simply forgotten,” Mr. Inagaki explains.
This discovery sparked Mr. Inagaki to launch the “Saburomaru Distillery Revival Project.” In 2016, the company held a crowdfunding campaign, ultimately raising what was then the fifth-largest amount in the history of Japanese crowdfunding. After six months of renovation work, the distillery was remodeled in 2017, giving Saburomaru Distillery a fresh new start.
Introducing the World’s First Cast-Metal Pot Still and Making a Major Leap Forward
The first plan Mr. Inagaki conceived was to install a new “mash tun,” the vessel used in the initial stage of whisky production. A fortunate encounter with Mr. Yasushi Miyake of Miyake Seisakusho, a brewing equipment manufacturer, made this possible. After that, he moved on to consider adding more pot stills.
Working together with Oigo Foundry, which produces Buddhist temple bells using the traditional Takaoka copperware craft in Takaoka City, he developed “ZEMON,” the world’s first cast-metal pot still. Two stills were completed in December 2018 and put into actual use from 2019, astonishing the whisky industry.
The whiskies produced by the newly revived Saburomaru Distillery have received high praise and are now known to fans all around the world.
Saburomaru Distillery’s concept is “The Ultimate Peat,” focusing on smoky whisky in line with that theme. They use both Islay peat and inland peat(*) to craft their whisky. They even installed a dedicated tank for third-run wort to extract more peaty components.
(*) Peat sourced from Islay in Scotland and from inland areas in the Scottish region of Great Britain. Coastal peat and inland peat differ in their characteristics.
Furthermore, the cast-metal pot still “ZEMON” uses only half the energy of a regular pot still. This commitment—to create smoky whisky without placing undue stress on the environment—is at the heart of Saburomaru Distillery’s whisky-making philosophy.
Because pot stills are generally made by bending metal sheets, they inevitably become thin. Over 20 to 30 years of use, they gradually wear down and need replacement. So, Mr. Inagaki wondered, “If we cast the still instead, can we make it thicker?”
“In 2017, the global whisky boom was still going strong, and the wait time for a new pot still was two to three years. Plus, it would take around eight months of hammering to finish one. If we waited three years just to get the still, then needed at least three more years of aging to produce whisky, it felt like an eternity. So, I thought, if we develop something new using the region’s traditional craftsmanship, it could benefit the local community. Also, by casting the still, we might gain some big advantages. That’s what led us to develop ZEMON,” says Mr. Inagaki.
He had expected that casting would allow for thicker walls and shorter delivery times. By using bronze (a copper-tin alloy) instead of pure copper, the tin content also helped improve the whisky’s character. However, the energy-saving effect turned out to be an unexpected bonus.
“We realized that our fuel costs seemed lower than usual. Upon investigation, we found that bronze conducts heat at only one-eighth the rate of pure copper. Long ago, pot stills were heated externally, but these days we use internal heaters. The more heat you keep inside, the better the energy efficiency. Moreover, being cast metal, it retains heat well. We only understood this effect after we actually tried it,” comments Mr. Inagaki.
A President from the IT Industry Whose Philosophy Is “If It Doesn’t Exist, Make It Myself”
Mr. Inagaki brought innovation to the whisky industry, but in fact he was neither originally well-versed in whisky nor directly involved in sake making.
He first encountered whisky in college. Back then, it wasn’t that he especially enjoyed its taste; rather, while in his university fishing club, he chose whisky for river fishing trips because its high alcohol content reduced the amount of luggage he had to carry. And it wasn’t even whisky from Wakatsuru Shuzō.
After graduating, he joined Hewlett-Packard Japan, working as a sales specialist managing support contracts for critical systems. However, his desire to create tangible products on his own grew stronger, and in 2015, he returned to his hometown to start a new chapter at Wakatsuru Shuzō.
“Ever since I was a child, I’ve done everything from electronics projects to leatherworking and sewing. Whenever something didn’t exist, I would just make it myself. My great-grandfather also founded Hokuriku Coca-Cola Bottling while making whisky. I think my IT experience has been really useful for things like crowdfunding and planning,” Mr. Inagaki says.
These experiences likely influenced his approach to creating a distillery that people can visit and fully experience, as well as launching the hugely successful canned highball called “Saburomaru Distillery’s Smoky Highball.”
“Most conventional canned highballs were like an extension of what you’d get at an izakaya, often sweetened or containing lemon juice. There’s nothing wrong with that style, but I wanted a real highball made only from smoky whisky and soda. Apparently, that idea resonated with many people, and ‘Saburomaru Distillery’s Smoky Highball’ ended up selling over four million cans,” says Mr. Inagaki.
Inspired by this success, various manufacturers have released their own “authentic” canned highballs. According to Mr. Inagaki, “In the craft industry, it’s a race to see who can capture a niche market first. I believe being imitated is a sign that we’ve really made it.”
Attraction of whiskey produced by Saburomaru Distillery
Saburomaru Distillery’s signature product is, above all, its single malt called “Saburomaru.” Beginning with “Saburomaru 1960,” the distillery has released expressions from “Saburomaru 0 THE FOOL” through “Saburomaru V THE HIEROPHANT.” True to its concept, it is heavily peated, offering a bold flavor profile.
You may have noticed that the names of Saburomaru whiskies come from Tarot cards. This starts at “0 THE FOOL,” referring to the “journey of the young soul” that matures through various life experiences. The distillery connects this concept to the aging of its whisky, inviting people to watch how Saburomaru’s spirit develops over time.
When asked which products besides the single malt “Saburomaru” are special to him, Mr. Inagaki mentioned collaborations with video game companies.
“I’ve always loved the ‘Persona’ series from ATLUS. In fact, I’ve been a fan since the Shin Megami Tensei days. The use of Tarot card motifs in Saburomaru was partly influenced by that, too. I made a direct pitch at Tokyo Game Show, hoping for some sort of collaboration. By chance, someone from Arc System Works was there and introduced me, so my dream finally came true.”
That company also developed the fighting game adaptations of the Persona series, and later a collaboration with “Guilty Gear” was realized as well.
Furthermore, on February 25 of this year, a collaborative whisky with Koei Tecmo Games’ “Romance of the Three Kingdoms VIII REMAKE” was announced. Mr. Inagaki has played every entry in the series, with “Romance of the Three Kingdoms V” being one of his favorites.
Mr. Inagaki shared his passion for these game collaborations with a smile, but he clearly has a strategic purpose as well. Fans of the same generation who love games enjoy seeking out new things and can be quite particular. He hopes they will discover the value of Saburomaru Distillery and help raise its profile.
We have traced the history of Saburomaru Distillery so far, but at the same time, the surge in popularity of Japanese whisky is gradually calming down. In the next part, we will look into Saburomaru Distillery’s new endeavors and discuss what might lie ahead for Japanese whisky.
