European novelty – full maturation in a Mizunara cask

European Novelty. Full Maturation in a Mizunara Cask – St. Kilian Whisky News

By Ernie Scheiner, The Gateway to Distilleries www.whisky-distilleries.net

Translated from English. Original Text

Rüdenau, June 2023

The German whisky distillery St. Kilian in Rüdenau, Lower Franconia, has launched an exclusive whisky rarity: a single malt whisky matured entirely in a single, pristine Mizunara oak cask.

Mizunara oak, prevalent in several regions of Japan, is one of the rarest and most expensive woods used for whisky maturation. The Japanese oak for this 225-liter, medium-toasted single cask is approximately 250 years old. It was harvested in the forests of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

"Mizunara or Japanese oak (Quercus mongolica) grows throughout Japan, but in northern Japan (Hokkaido), the tree grows more slowly and has tighter annual rings, which are suitable for cask production. The wood imparts a special flavor to spirits, described as sandalwood, and a much stronger coconut aroma than any other oak, especially when it comes into contact with whisky after a long maturation." Source: Ariake Sangyo

Experienced coopers from Ariake Sangyo carefully prepare the casks. Treating the wood, especially the staves, is very difficult, and only a few coopers are able to produce these casks. The cask staves and heads were made entirely from Mizunara oak.

St. Kilian Distillers imported four medium-toasted virgin casks directly by air from Japan in August 2019.

CTO and Master Blender Mario Rudolf: "Mizunara oak is known for its unique aromas of sandalwood, oriental spices, and exotic fruits, which give the whisky a distinctive character. This masterpiece of whisky art reflects the synergy of Japanese finesse with German distilling craftsmanship. The exceptional single malt whisky promises an unparalleled taste and an exquisite indulgence for discerning connoisseurs."

A more than delighted Managing Director Philipp Trützler says: "We are very proud to present this exclusive Mizunara oak whisky rarity. According to our research, this is the first non-Japanese single malt whisky to be fully matured in a single, fresh, unused Mizunara oak cask. A true treasure for whisky lovers and collectors alike."

The result of the maturation offers a unique taste of ripe fruits and exotic melon, paired with warming oak notes, oriental spices, and fragrant sandalwood aromas.

The Angels' Share from cask no. 3886 was 4.7% of the original content, which is significantly above the normal value (2 to 3%). The age of the single malt is three years plus a few months.

"The cask strength bottling was lower than usual at 55.2% ABV because we wanted to create more sweetness in the whisky," reports Mario Rudolf.

St. Kilian's EXCEPTIONAL MIZUNARA

The exceptional Mizunara Single Cask bottling, at natural cask strength of 55.1% ABV, was limited to 300 bottles.

The exceptional Mizunara bottling is the first in a new St. Kilian series that will present further exceptional casks to customers. The series will only be open for thematically exclusive single malt whiskies that have matured in one of the 371 different cask types in the nearby St. Kilian Bunker City.

The Mizunara whisky specialty is presented in a printed 0.5-liter glass bottle in pot-still shape with elegant packaging, emphasizing the uniqueness of the St. Kilian product.

"After numerous tastings of Mizunara-finished bottlings, we wanted to find out what a St. Kilian whisky with full Mizunara maturation would taste like," explains Master Blender Mario Rudolf, "...Inspired by our trip to Japan in 2017, we filled the Mizunara oak casks with both our mild and peated new-make spirits. The current result far exceeds our expectations and confirms the magic that this exceptional wood ignites in our whisky."

Please note: At St. Kilian, the focus is on full maturation in casks, not double maturation or finishings. However, re-vatting must be carried out if casks accidentally leak.

Tasting Notes

Color
Warm amber

Aroma
An enticing fruit sweetness, carried by ripe pear, apricot, and exotic melon, underscored by buttery cream toffee, aromatic sandalwood, and oriental spices.

Taste
Fruity-sweet start with ripe pears, apples, and apricots, simultaneously warming with spicy oak and sandalwood notes and a hint of pepper, before the creamy fruit mélange takes over again.

Finish
Long-lasting with creamy fruit jam, accompanied by dry sandalwood aromas and a hint of buttery toffee.

Alcohol Content:
55.1% vol

The St. Kilian Exceptional Mizunara is a well-balanced, harmonious young single malt whisky with a rather pleasant sweetness and a basket full of fruity hints of ripe fruits like apples, pears, and some melon, along with a persistent spiciness. The soft mouthfeel is long-lasting with toffee notes, and surprisingly, the high alcohol content of 55.1% ABV is well integrated and enhances the fruity notes.

St. Kilian Honorary Brand Ambassador Udo Sonntag said: "This whisky is the opposite of ordinary. This is a real cracker..."

There are only a few bottles of the Exceptional Mizunara St. Kilian left at the distillery for direct sale. It's no wonder that most of the 300 bottles were sold within five minutes of the web presentation on Saturday, May 6, 2023, for €249.00 (0.5 liters).

NB: In the future, there will be more Mizunara releases from St. Kilian. Whisky enthusiasts who love peated whiskies will surely be delighted when the next exceptional Mizunara cask is released.