European Novelty. Full Maturation in a Mizunara Cask
Peated Single Malt released
by Ernie Scheiner
The German Distillery St. Kilian in Rüdenau, Lower Frankonia, launched in 2023 a highly exclusive whisky rarity: a single malt whisky fully matured in a single virgin Mizunara oak cask.
At the end of December of 2024 St Kilian's creative whisky maker Mario Rudolf released another speciality: A peated St Kilian Single Malt which matured only in a Mizunara cask.
"This full maturation of a peated whisky in a virgin Mizunara cask is absolutely unique.
It is by no means a finishing of a Bourbon cask matured whisky in a Mizunara cask,"
St. Kilian's CTO Mario Rudolf pointed out at a webshow.
It is believed that this St Kilian Peated Single Malt could be the first one which has matured totally in a Mizunara cask outside of Japan.
1950 sample sets were sent out to national and international whisky nerds to attend the launching of a rare Mizunara matured peated St Kilian Single Malt on the web.
Three days after the 28th December 2024 show about 2600 viewers followed the presentation:
What is Mizunara Oak?
Common in several regions of Japan, Mizunara oak is among the rarest and most expensive wood used to mature whisky. The Japanese oak for this St Kilian Whisky 225-litre, medium toasted single cask is about 250 years old. The wood was harvested in the forests of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
"Mizunara or Japanese oak (quercus mongolica) is growing across Japan, but in the North of Japan (Hokkaido) the tree grows slower results with a tighter annual ring which is suitable for producing a barrel.
The wood delivers some particular taste on the spirits characterized as sandalwood and a much stronger coconut aroma than any oak especially when it interacts with whisky after a long time aging."
Source Ariake Sangyo
Experienced coopers of Ariake Sangyo carefully set up the four casks. The treatment of the rare "Water Oak" wood, especially of the staves, is very difficult to handle and only a few coopers are able to set the casks together. The cask staves and the heads were completely made of Mizunara oak.
Mizunara oak casks are relatively expensive and very rare. It is said that only about 200 ? Japanese oak casks are set up each year. Prices are about 5.000,00 $ or even 6.000.00 $ without delivery.
Source: Decanter
The so-called 'Water Oak' is very hard to get as the trees do not grow straight but very slowly. At Hokkaido, annually in winter, there is a special blind auction where you may get logs of Mizunara Oak. There are whisky producers, coperages and furniture makers who are looking for excellent logs which have 40 to 60 cm diameter. Coopering Japanese oak is a highly demanding adventure and quite stressful and tricky due to its porous structure to get casks watertight.
Leaking Mizunara casks are a continuous problem in warehousing as the wood itself is very porous (with less cellulose ratio). Therefore the angels'share is quite high compared to American or European oak. But the aroma transfer is much higher than in an American Oak Bourbon Barrel as the spirit soaks deeper into the Mizunara oak wood staves. In general the hand split rough and raw staves for higher premium casks are airdried in a seasoning process for about two to three years as the oak has got a rather high moisture content. The seasoning of the oak staves in fresh air should can be finished at a moisture content of 15 %. The trees for better and high quality cask staves have to be older than 200 years it is said. These premium quality casks are set up with staves which have not been dried in a kiln.
It is said the Ariake Cooperage is the only reliable cask maker in Japan strictly applying only traditional methods when coopering Mizunara casks. Only a handful customers are their clients. They enjoy casks which are completely made of airdried Mizunara oak. All staves and both heads are made of Mizunara oak.
Please note: Especially kiln dried Mizunara oak tends to be quite problematic as far as leaking is concerned. Sometimes cooperages also use American White Oak for the cask heads to reduce leaking.
At St. Kilian Distillery: Mizunara grain structure
"The fine aromas develop only after a longer storage. But then it shows a unique sweet and spicy taste profile, which is due to the lactone ratio and the high vanilla content of the oak. Aromas that come from the Mizunara Oak are Kara (a kind of oriental incense), sandalwood and coconut."
Source Wilhelm Eder Website
St Kilian Distillers imported four medium toasted virgin casks (225 l) directly by plane from Japan in August 2019 to secure the quality of the precious Mizunura casks.
"In order to avoid having to store the demanding woods on a ship for weeks, we agreed on air freight, which again meant a significant increase in price, as the plane flew to Germany via Kyoto, Tokyo and Bangkok. We were all very happy when the barrels landed. St. Kilian is - Mario Rudolf assured me - extremely satisfied with the quality," the German Dominic Laufenberg of SmartWhisky Casks says, who organized the purchase. In the whisky industry Laufenberg is a well established cask broker who sold casks to well-known distilleries in Taiwan, India, Scotland and the U.S.
Happy Mario Rudolf is rolling the Mizunaras gently to the St Kilian filling shop.
Photos Courtesy of St. Kilian Distillers
CTO and Master Blender Mario Rudolf:
The Mizunara oak is known for its unique aromas of sandalwood, oriental spices and exotic fruits,
which give the whisky distinctive characterful aromas.
This masterpiece of whisky craftsmanship reflects the synergy of Japanese finesse with German distilling art in Scottish pot stills. The exceptional Single Malt promises an incomparable taste as well as an exquisite enjoyment experience for discerning connoisseurs.
A more than delighted Managing Director Philipp Trützler added:
"We are very proud to be able to present this exclusive whisky rarity made from Mizunara oak...
...According to our research, this is the first non-Japanese single malt whisky to be matured in a single, fresh, unoccupied Mizunara oak cask.
A true treasure for whisky lovers and collectors alike."
The result of the maturation provides a unique taste of ripe fruit and exotic melon paired with warming oak notes, oriental spices, and fragrant sandalwood aromas.
The Angels' Share of cask no.3886 was 4.7% of the initial content which is much higher than normal. The age of the single malt is three years old plus a few months.
"The cask filling strength was lower than regular...at 55.2 % abv as we intended to generate more sweetness in the whisky,"
Mario Rudolf reports.
St Kilian's non-peated EXCEPTIONAL MIZUNARA 2023
The exceptional Mizunara single cask bottling at natural cask strength of 55.1% abv was limited to 300 bottles.
The Exceptional Bottling of Mizunara is the first of a new St Kilian range which will present further exceptional casks to the customer. The series will only be open for thematic exclusive Single Malts which have matured in one of the 371 different cask types in the nearby St Kilian Bunker City.
The Mizunara speciality whisky is presented in a printed 0.5 litre pot-still shaped glass bottle with noble packaging which will make for the uniqueness of the St Kilian product.
"After numerous tastings of bottlings with Mizunara finish, we wanted to find out what a St Kilian whisky with Mizunara full maturation would taste like,"
Master Blender Mario Rudolf explains.
"Inspired by our trip to Japan in 2017, we filled the Mizunara oak barrels with our mild as well as our peaty new make spirits.
By doing so, the present result exceeds by far our expectation
and confirms the magic that this extraordinary wood ignites in our whisky."
Please note: At St. Kilian they intend to do only full maturation in casks and no double maturation or finishings. However, a revatting has to be done when casks accidentally are leaking.
Official Taste Notes
"COLOUR
Warm amber
NOSE
A beguiling fruit sweetness, carried by ripe pear, apricot and exotic melon, underpinned by buttery cream toffee, aromatic sandalwood and oriental spices.
PALATE
Fruity sweet start with ripe pears, apples and apricots, at the same time warming with spicy oak and sandalwood notes as well as some pepper, before the creamy fruit melange takes over again.
FINISH
Long lasting with creamy fruit jam, accompanied by dry sandalwood aromas as well as a hint of buttery toffee.
ALCOHOL STRENGTH
55.1% abv "
The St Kilian Exceptional Mizunara is a well balanced harmonious young single malt with some rather pleasing sweetness and a basket full of fruity notions of ripe fruit like apples, pears and some melon along with some lingering spiciness. The soft mouthfeel is long lingering with toffee notes and surprisingly the strong alcohol of 55.1% abv is well embedded and makes for the enforcement of the fruity notes. The Mizunara oak gives the St Kilian whisky depth and complex very subtle spicy notes melted with cinnamon and vanilla. However young the single malt is, the whisky seems to have enjoyed a much longer maturation.
St Kilian Honorary Brand Ambassador Udo Sonntag said:
This whisky is the opposite of ordinary.
That's quite a cracker...
There are no Exceptional Mizunara St Kilian bottles left at the distillery. No wonder most of the 300 bottles were sold within five minutes after the web presentation show on Saturday 6th May 2023 for €249.00 (0.5l).
St Kilian's Peated EXCEPTIONAL MIZUNARA 2024
The December 2024 Mizunara peated single cask bottling at natural cask strength of 54.0 % abv was limited to 258 bottles.
The Exceptional Bottling of Mizunara is the third of a new St Kilian range presented another exceptional cask release to the customer. The series which is only be open for thematic exclusive St Kilian Single Malts which have fully matured in one of the 390 different cask types in the nearby St Kilian Bunker City at Hainhaus.
"After five years of maturation in a fresh, previously virgin 225-litre Mizunara oak barrel, an intense, complex play of aromas unfolds, in which aromatic peat smoke and sandalwood combine with sweet dried fruits, while oriental spices, liquorice and a hint of eucalyptus refine the palate."
Source: St Kilian Press Realease
The Mizunara peated speciality whisky was presented in a printed 0.5 litre pot-still shaped glass bottle with noble packaging which will make for the uniqueness of the St Kilian product. After the end of webshow the peated St Kilian Mizunara version was sold out within minutes for € 249,00 (0,5 Litre).
Ebay Flippers offer the rare Mizunara bottle for sale at prices up to 500 Euro.
Personal Impression of the Mizunara December 2024 Release
The St Kilian peated Mizunara Edition could be the first type of a full time Minzunara cask maturation which has been bottled outside of Japan ever.
The whisky is by no means a finishing in a Mizunara cask which can be found quite often on the shelves. The St Kilian Malt was double distilled in 6 000 litre Scottish pot stills made by Forsyths in Rothes. The peated malt had been delivered exclusively by Glenesk Maltings near Montrose, south of Aberdeen. The phenol density of the drum malted Scottish barley was 80ppm (HPLC). The spirit has fully matured for five years in a 225 l Mizunara virgin barrique coopered by the renowned Ariake Sangyo Cooperage in Japan.
In the glass the St Kilian Single Malt appears with a typical French golden colour with rosé reflexes. Soft and subtle pleasing peat smoke notions open up in the nose. What a charming and most pleasing gentle smoke it is! By no means medicinical. The natural cask strength alcohol of 54 % abv is well embedded, an indication of being masterly distilled.
The aroma profile is highly complex, manyfold is the mixture of herbal impressions, senses get confused very easily. Multiple allusions of cinnamon, figues, dates, lychees, marzipan, almonds, walnuts and muscat sum up in a spicy manyfold appearance. Allusions of Dresden Stollen...candied orange peel and raisins embedded by a lingering hint of peat smoke (about 15 to 17ppm in the glass). Fragrant (sandal-) wood aromas make for an impressive long lasting mouthfeel.
Whisky Blenders often say that whiskies have to mature in the casks made of Mizunara oak for more than fifteen and more years to reach the sweet point of flavours. Otherwise the taste profile would be harsh and too spicy as the oak would then cover fruity aromas more or less.
However, these expert views do not hold true with the five year old St Kilian peated Single Malt. The fully Mizunara matured whisky is well balanced from the nose to the tongue. The mouthfeel is perfect and long lasting. The soft sweet peat smoke is lingering and by no means oppressive.
The aroma profile of St Kilian's Minzunara peated Single Malt is of a quite unique and impressive stunning style. Scots would say: "It's a cracker!"
Official Notes
"Appearance: Bright amber
Aroma: Aromatic peat smoke combines harmoniously with ripe dried fruit and figs, underlined by forest honey, liquorice and oriental spices, rounded off by subtle hints of sandalwood.
Taste: Intense, complex and warming, with a seductive sweetness of dried fruit, raisins and creamy honey, accompanied by oriental spices, a hint of black pepper and liquorice, perfectly balanced by aromatic peat smoke, ashy nuances and delicate sandalwood notes.
Aftertaste: The creamy sweet blend of fruit jam, honey and liquorice, accompanied by oriental spices, smoky wood tones and a hint of eucalyptus, lingers elegantly and for a long time.
Alcohol content: 54.0% abv"
See also WhiskyExperience
A Visit to Ariake Sangyo Cooperage
The well-known Belgian Taster Ruben Luyten writes in his WhiskyNotes.be about the St Kilian Mizunara Release:
"Nose: very fruity. There are lots of sweet pears and apples, a subtle hint of vanilla ice cream and nougat. Then more exotic hints of melons and papaya, alongside mild virgin oak spice, like white pepper and nutmeg. Hints of sandalwood (Mizunara comes close) with this unique oriental fingerprint. Fresh mint grows stronger over time.
Mouth: clearly more spicy now. Ginger and pepper jump forward, with apricot sweetness and vanilla in the background. Lemon liqueur, some rooty hints and perhaps a little sawdust. Whiffs of cardamom and juniper, always with creamy fruits underneath.
Finish: medium long, more pears alongside buttery notes and sandalwood spice.
One of four medium toasted Mizunara casks they sourced from Hokkaido, all filled on the same day, two with unpeated spirit and two with peated. It is a very good spirit in a vibrant cask. Young St. Kilian but already very enjoyable, up there with the best Shizuokas for instance. Sold for around € 250 in a fancy case...Score: 88/100"
Source: WhiskyNotes.be
Autor
Ernie - Ernst J. Scheiner is the editor of The Gateway to Distilleries www.whisky-distilleries.net
He documents over 150 distilleries photographically from the inside and describes the production of the whiskies in detail. Since his studies at the University of
Edinburgh, he has been involved with the subject of whisky and has published in specialist magazines such as The Ireland Journal, Kleinbrennerei, Whisky Passion and The Highland Herold. Features and stories have appeared in blogs like whiskyexperts, whiskyfanbl, SHMKR (closed) and whiskyintelligence. As former head of the VHS Ingelheim, and now as a whisk(e)y ambassador, he teaches distilling, organizes study tours and tours to the sources of whisky.
Comments