Distilleries visited in 2024
In 2024, we visited four distilleries.
- Fuji Gotemba Distillery
- Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery
- Eigashima Sake Brewery
- Venture Whiskey Chichibu Distillery
Fuji Gotemba Distillery
In January “Whiskey Lovers Nagoya 2024On my way to Nagoya to participate in the ``Fuji Gotemba Distillery” I visited.
Of all the major distilleries I've visited so far, I felt the distillery tour guide provided the most detailed explanations.
Tour reservation
『WebYou can make a reservation from .
Reservation opening dates will be announced on the website.
The opening date for reservations is announced approximately two months in advance, and reservations open one month in advance.
The fee is 500 yen and must be paid locally.
You can visit the distillery without making a reservation, but you can only view the exhibits, shop, and take paid tastings.
Tour details
『here” is introduced.
shop
At the time of my visit (January 2024), the shop was selling 50th anniversary blended products.
From August 2024, it seems that single cask malt and grain limited to the distillery will be on sale.
We also sell sweets and snacks, including standard Fuji brands and glasses.
Paid tasting
There is a free tasting at the end of the tour, but there are also paid tastings.
There are brands that can be sampled for a fee, rare and expensive bottles, and bottles that can only be drunk at the distillery.
Access
If you are coming from Tokyo, there is a bus to Gotemba Station, and from there there is a free shuttle bus, making it easy to access.
Free shuttle bus available from Gotemba Station (about 15 minutes)
Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery
January's ``Whiskey Lovers NagoyaOn the way back from ``, I got off at Shizuoka and got off at ``Gaia Flow Shizuoka Distillery” I visited.
It was a close-up tour that is unique to Shinko Distillery/Craft Distillery, and it was a very educational tour.
I think you'll be able to enjoy it 120% more if you gain some knowledge about the whiskey manufacturing process and terminology before participating.
Tour reservation
『WebYou can make a reservation from .
Reservations are required for tours.
The fee is 1,100 yen and must be paid locally.
Tour details
『here” is introduced.
shop
Some Shizuoka single malt brands and blended M, which are relatively difficult to obtain, may also be sold.
Goods such as T-shirts and glasses with the Shizuoka Distillery logo are also on sale.
We also sell whiskey from bottlers such as Blackadder and Astamoris, for which we are an import agent.
Paid tasting
After the tour, you can sample all the Shizuoka Distillery brands for a fee.
I thought the lineup for the distillery limited edition was a little weak, with only four types of cask samples.
There are no free tastings, and the price for paid tastings is the distillery price, which is cheaper than drinking at a bar.
Bottler's whiskeys such as Blackadder and Astamoris can also be sampled for a fee.
There is a container fee in addition to the paid tasting fee, but takeout is also available for drivers and others who cannot drink alcohol.
Access
You can visit it by bus from Shizuoka Station, but it takes about an hour.
Since it is not an express bus, there is no toilet, and personally, I found it difficult to hold back using the toilet for over an hour after drinking on the way home.
Due to the small number of buses, it is not possible to skip the tour, but the start and end times of the tour are set to match the schedule of the route bus.
Eigashima Sake Brewery
Held in April, “Whiskey Harbor Kobe”, while participating in “Eigashima Sake Brewery” I visited.
The biggest feature is that it includes a sake brewery tour and a whiskey distillery tour.
Tour reservation
『WebYou can make a reservation from .
The dates are limited to a few times a month, so be sure to check the dates.
Reservations are required for tours and there is no charge.
Tour details
『here” is introduced.
shop
You can purchase Akashi Eigashima's standard brands and distillery limited bottles.
There were also glasses for sale with the logo on them.
Paid tasting
There is no paid tasting corner; tastings are held at the end of the tour, and some brands require a fee.
You can enjoy alcoholic beverages produced by Eigashima Sake Brewery, such as sake, whiskey, and plum wine.
Access
You can visit by train and on foot, and there are many trains, so I think it's quite easy to access.
Venture Whiskey Chichibu Distillery
I was able to tour Venture Whiskey Chichibu Distillery in October.
It was a very rewarding tour of the distillery where you could feel the attention to detail everywhere.
Tour reservation
Chichibu Distillery does not offer public tours.
Generally speaking, the general public can tour in two main ways:
・Participate in the distillery open day held at the Chichibu Whiskey Festival
This time, thankfully, I was able to participate in the former.
Tour details
『here” is introduced.
shop
Standard items such as glasses and coasters with logos, apparel such as T-shirts and hoodies, and golf balls were on sale.
There was no sale of alcohol such as distillery limited bottles.
The shop does not seem to be open on distillery open day.
free tasting
There was no paid tasting, and at the end of the tour, we were able to sample standard items, limited edition items, and the constituent unblended sake for free.
Access
Basically, access is by car.
Tours sponsored by bars and liquor stores will probably involve chartering a bus or taxi, and there will also be buses on open days, so you don't have to worry about access.
Closing Thoughts
Although I haven't been able to introduce them on this blog yet, I have visited five distilleries so far: Hakushu Distillery, Mars Komagatake Distillery, Miyagikyo Distillery, Yamazaki Distillery, and Yoichi Distillery.
In addition to these, we visited 4 new distilleries this year in 2024, so we have visited 9 distilleries in total.
There are more than 100 distilleries in Japan, including those currently in planning by the end of 2024, so there are still many distilleries that I have yet to visit.
The general outline of the whiskey manufacturing process is the same at all distilleries, so you can understand it by going to one distillery or learning about it from books or online.
However, each distillery is different in terms of location and climate, as well as the points they focus on in production, and it's interesting to hear the stories from the creators themselves.
And if there are different points, the resulting taste will naturally be different, and that is the appeal of visiting various distilleries.
I'm thinking of going on a distillery tour again in 2025, and I'd like to visit distilleries that I haven't introduced to you yet or haven't particularly visited, and eventually distilleries overseas.
