This New Japanese Whisky Has Something You Don’t See Every Day

Friday, 13 November 2026 at 20:36

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Japan’s Kiyokawa Distillery has teamed up with whisky specialist dekantā to release a new whisky: Kiyokawa Tsuchi, a distinctive single-cask bottling limited to just 290 bottles. Matured in a former Oloroso sherry cask and bottled at a remarkable 64% ABV, this Japanese whisky has plenty more to set it apart.

What makes Kiyokawa Tsuchi so special?

Tsuchi means “earth” or “soil” in Japanese—and the name was chosen for a reason. At Kiyokawa Distillery, everything begins with the place where the whisky is made.

The Japanese distillery makes its whisky in Iiyama, following a farm-to-bottle philosophy. Founded by David Troiano, it describes itself as Japan’s first true farm-to-bottle distillery. The team has even worked with agricultural scientists to develop its own organic barley variety, bred to withstand the changing seasons of this mountainous region.

Local farmers grow the barley in fields surrounding the distillery. The water is sourced nearby, too, from natural mountain springs.

Kiyokawa’s first whisky matured in an Oloroso sherry cask

Tsuchi is Kiyokawa’s third whisky release—and the distillery’s first to mature entirely in a first-fill Oloroso sherry cask. The cask is expected to lend it a rich character, with notes of dried fruit, toasted nuts, dark chocolate and warming spices.

The whisky was distilled in March 2023 and bottled in September 2026 at 64% ABV. It is also non-chill-filtered, allowing as much of the cask’s character as possible to shine through.

What does Kiyokawa Tsuchi taste like?

While detailed official tasting notes have yet to be released, dekantā has offered an early glimpse of the flavour profile. Based on the characteristics described, whisky lovers can look forward to:

Nose: Dried fruit and toasted nuts, with a possible hint of spice.
Palate: Rich Oloroso sherry influences, with dark chocolate, dried fruit and warming spices.
Finish: A spicy finish seems likely, though no official tasting notes have been published yet.

Where can you buy Kiyokawa Tsuchi?

The new Japanese whisky is available exclusively through dekantā. It officially launched on 6 November 2026. In a further point of interest, the cask was originally purchased by a dekantā customer, making this the first of Kiyokawa’s privately owned casks to reach the market as a whisky.

The bottle design has been given just as much care. Its label depicts the distillery during harvest, set against the autumn colours of Iiyama—a design that once again points to the land where it all begins.

With just 290 bottles available, Tsuchi is certainly a release for fans of Japanese whisky to keep an eye on. The press release does not mention a retail price.

Want to read more about Japanese whisky? Explore more here.