Our predecessors have a long tradition of adopting elements from a foreign culture and modify them to suitable for our purposes harmoniously. During the development of the country, the process of iitoko-dori which means takes and use good parts of other nations without any prejudices, and skillfully localized the products to fit local needs is adapts widely. The three most famous adaption are language, religion, and culture, Japanese whisky and cooperage industry are not out of the trend.
Oak barrel rooted in Europe for more than two thousand years, unlike wadaru (Japanese barrel made from sugi wood) the technique of making oak barrel only adapted to Japan less than a hundred years.
Japanese whisky makers have efficiently localized the oak maturation culture smoothly with local whisky and spreading the technique to local spirits like shochu and created our own identities. The fusion sublimated to a new level when we produce our Japanese taste with the native oak – Mizunara and create our unique Japanese whisky flavor, from Japan and made in Japan. Inheriting the innovation spirits Ariake cooperage is making our series of Japan taste to introduce to the world. The core of our identity base on our indigenous wood mizunara, hinoki, sugi, sakura and kuri.
Mizunara or Japanese oak (Quercus crispula) 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.
Sugi or Japanese cedar belong to cypress family. Sugi wood has a pleasant aroma, bright color, known as a luxury wood has been used for the construction of elegant palaces, shrines & temple, making Japanese sake barrel and shipbuilding. The natural rot-resistant and pleasing fragrance made sugi become favorite wood for making sake barrel.
Kuri (Japanese chestnut) is hardwood type, and the wood will deliver a pleasant sweet taste and chestnut cream dessert aroma.
Hinoki or Japanese cypress, it’s one of the most elegant wood types. The tree grows in Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu islands. Famous for its endurance, fine texture, glossy color, and refreshing aroma, since ancient time hinoki has been used to build shrines & temple. The durability of hinoki gradually grows from 200 years to 1000 years. Horyuji temple, made by hinoki is the oldest wooden structure in the world. After interacting with the spirits, the wood will deliver a fresh, soothing aroma, a little smoky and lemony taste, evoke a unique oriental flavor.
Sakura (Japanese cherry wood) the wood extract a unique Japanese flavor similar to sakura mochi sweets, which is familiar to many Japanese.
428-2 Higashi Hishiyacho, Fushimi ku, Kyoto shi
Please contact us if you have any questions about barrel production or maintenance !
