Japanese whisky retailer dekantā and Nagano Prefecture’s Kiyokawa Distillery have unveiled Kiyokawa The Cask – dekantā 11th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, an ex-Marsala-matured single malt limited to 348 bottles. The release marks dekantā’s 11th anniversary and is only the second official bottling from Kiyokawa, Japan’s first farm-to-bottle whisky producer.
The bottling brings together two milestones. Dekantā selected the 11th cask ever filled at Kiyokawa to celebrate eleven years of connecting whisky enthusiasts with Japanese distilleries. The whisky offers collectors a chance to experience one of Kiyokawa’s earliest maturing casks.
Located at the Iiyama Mountain Farm in Nagano Prefecture, Kiyokawa oversees every stage of production, from barley cultivation through to bottling.
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READ THE STORYThis farm-to-bottle approach remains rare within the Japanese whisky industry.
The distillery’s production methods are shaped by founder David Troiano’s Italian heritage. Fermentation takes place in Italian-made Garbellotto wooden fermenters and can last up to eight days, significantly longer than industry norms.
Distillation is carried out in Italian-made Frilli stills, believed to be unique within Japanese whisky production. They were chosen for their ability to create a rich, characterful spirit.
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Each year, Troiano travels to Sicily to personally select casks for the distillery. He sources authentic ex-Marsala casks that have matured wine within a traditional In Perpetuum system.
Similar to the Solera systems used in Sherry production, the In Perpetuum method continuously refreshes wine stocks over time. The barrels selected for Kiyokawa typically mature Marsala for six to eight years before shipping to Iiyama.
According to the brand, these first-fill casks contribute “layers of dried fruit, walnut, citrus peel, spice and caramelised sweetness while preserving the character of Kiyokawa’s farm-to-bottle spirit.”
The whisky is bottled at 54% ABV without chill filtration or added color.
The brand said the expression “showcases a whisky that is both unmistakably of its home Iiyama, and also proudly influenced by its Italian heritage.”
The official tasting notes from the brand list dried fruits, walnut, orange peel and old dessert wine on the nose. The palate offers rich malt, burnt sugar, raisin, spice and umami depth, while the finish is long and warming, with oak, cocoa and Marsala sweetness.
Kiyokawa The Cask – dekantā 11th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is available now priced at $319.99.
