This rare whisky combines Belgian spirit with Japanese craftsmanship

Friday, 18 September 2026 at 10:18

Never miss whisky news, reviews, and new releases again.

Imagine bringing a whisky to your lips, eyes closed, with notes of honey, sandalwood, dark chocolate, and ripe apricot. Your mind might drift to Japan, but this single malt hails from Belgium. Filliers Distillery has unveiled a new limited edition that marries Belgian whisky with Japanese craftsmanship: the Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara whisky.

After a classic bourbon maturation, the Master Distiller Mizunara whisky spent an additional two years resting in a rare Japanese Mizunara oak cask. In this article, we’ll tell you what that does for this Belgian single malt.

Belgian whisky with a Japanese finish

The foundation of this whisky was laid in February 2019. For it, Filliers used 100 percent Belgian malted barley from regenerative agriculture. The distillate then rested for five years in a first-fill ex-bourbon cask. That typically brings familiar notes of vanilla, spice, and oak, but Master Distiller Pedro Saez Del Burgo decided to take it a step further.

The whisky spent a further two years in a Japanese Mizunara oak cask, adding an entirely new layer to this Belgian single malt.

Why Mizunara is so beloved by whisky makers

Mizunara is one of the most prized woods in the whisky world. That’s not only due to its flavor and Japanese origin, but also its scarcity. Japanese oak takes around 200 years to fully mature and can only be harvested in limited quantities.

It’s also porous and difficult to work with, making quality cask production anything but easy. Those who take on the challenge are rewarded with something special: Mizunara is renowned for aromas of coconut, sandalwood, and tropical fruit.

How the Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara whisky tastes

Those flavors shine through in the Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara whisky. The Belgian distillery has shared the official tasting notes for this limited edition:

Nose: Coconut, honey, sandalwood, red apple, dark chocolate, and ripe apricot.
Palate: Creamy and silky with coconut, vanilla, ripe apricot, and tropical fruit.
Finish: Long and elegant with grapefruit, tropical fruit, and a subtle hint of cedarwood.

The whisky is bottled at 45.1% ABV.

Only 393 bottles worldwide

The new Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara whisky is a single cask release, limited to just 393 bottles of 70 centiliters. It’s a decidedly exclusive whisky that blends a Belgian core with one of Japan’s most extraordinary oak types.

Move fast, as this release is expected to sell out quickly. The whisky is available now at select retailers and at Brussels Airport. Starting in October, it will also be sold via Filliers’ webshop.

Made possible by Filliers. No 18, no alcohol.

FAQ

What is the Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara Oak Finish?
This is a Belgian single malt whisky from Filliers Distillery. It matured first for five years in a first-fill ex-bourbon cask, followed by a two-year finish in Japanese Mizunara oak.
What does the Filliers Mizunara Oak Finish taste like?
The whisky features notes of coconut, honey, sandalwood, dark chocolate, apricot, vanilla, and tropical fruit. The finish is long and elegant, with grapefruit and a subtle hint of cedarwood.
How many bottles were produced?
The Filliers Master Distiller Mizunara Oak Finish is a single cask release with only 393 bottles of 70 centiliters available worldwide.