A special experience to savor Shinozaki's whisky! Introducing the highlights of SHINDO LAB and access information

SHINDO LAB is located about 500 meters south of Asakura Distillery, where the head office of Shinozaki is based. An extensive site spanning 18,000 m2 was set aside in the Shindo area of Asakura City, setting the stage for the new brewery named SHINDO LAB. 
This site houses the whisky distillery "SHINDO DISTILLERY," winery "SHINDO WINES," and direct sales store "SHINDO LAB STAND."
SHINDO LAB started its whisky production in 2021, although the conceptualization and planning had already been ongoing since the time of Shinozaki's seventh-generation owner.
Japanese whisky is defined as whisky that has been aged for three years or more in wooden barrels in Japan. "SHINDO," the whisky manufactured on this site, will finally go on sale in June 2025.

This time, we went on a tour of the distillery where this whisky is produced, which includes a whisky tasting experience. 

The distillery tour, which includes a whisky tasting experience, takes place every Tuesday and Friday. Engage all your senses to discover and experience the whisky making process and Shinozaki's meticulous craftsmanship and passion.

After making payment at the SHINDO LAB STAND, the tour begins!
We put on the original ID lanyard and head toward the distillery.

1. Pulverization
The tour starts with an observation of the pulverization process, through which contaminants in the malt are removed. 
As whisky is an alcohol that is intentionally aged, as much as 1 ton of malt is pulverized every day to ensure product availability for continued sale into the future.

2. Saccharification
The pulverized malt from the previous step is mixed with hot water to extract the sugar content. The first wort and second wort are produced, giving rise to a subtly sweet and fragrant aroma.

3. Fermentation
Fermentation begins with the addition of yeast to the wort, and the sugars are converted into alcohol.
SHINDO LAB uses two types of yeast: imported compressed yeast, and a unique yeast strain developed over many years by a whisky artisan known throughout the industry. By combining these two types of yeast, it strives to produce a highly aromatic and innovative flavor. 

4. Distillation
The fermentation mash (known as moromi in Japanese) is double-distilled using custom-made machinery. Only about one-tenth of the wort is extracted as genshu (undiluted whisky). The process of extracting each precious drop not only requires great skill, but also an immense amount of painstaking work and effort.
While the distillery is equipped with cutting-edge facilities, it was impressive to see that the management of temperatures and alcohol content are carried out manually by experienced artisans.

5. Aging
In addition to bourbon and sherry barrels, barrels made from Mizunara oak and chestnut trees are also stacked and stored here.
Shinozaki's forte also lies in making barley shochu by aging it in barrels, so the barrels used for shochu are also used to store whiskey. Observe the unique barrels and imagine what kind of aromas and flavors they will produce in the finished products.

After the tour, it is time for the long-awaited whisky tasting session at SHINDO LAB STAND! This time, we tasted and compared 10 different types of whiskies.
The tasting flight included "NEW MAKE," whisky aged in bourbon barrels, peated whisky smoked with peat smoke, and whisky aged in Mizunara oak and chestnut barrels.
In this tasting session, you can enjoy a flavor achieved by fusing traditional compressed yeast with a unique and innovative yeast strain, as well as taste the changes in smoky flavors and the differences in the whiskies produced in different barrels. It is an irresistible experience for whisky lovers. Original tasting glasses are also available for purchase.

[Distillery Tour Dates]
1. Every Tuesday, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. (Japanese-speaking guide only), one slot
2. Every Friday, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. (Japanese-speaking and English-speaking guides available), one slot
*There are days when the tour is not available as well as other non-regular tour dates, so please check the reservation page for details. 
*The tour is usually conducted along the passageway on the second floor, but may include close-up observations depending on the size of the group and timing.
*A take-home set is available for those who have driven to the venue and cannot partake in the whisky tasting.

[Duration] Approximately 2 hours (including tasting)
[Price] 5,000 yen (Junior high school students to those under 20 years old: 1,000 yen; Elementary school students and younger: Free of charge]
[Reservations] Please make an advance reservation through the website.

The "hand-filling experience" involves filling aging whiskey from a barrel into a bottle on your own, then labelling the bottle and taking it home with you. It is a popular experience and common overseas, but is very rare in Japan. The dedicated equipment used to allow customers to bottle their own whisky has been custom-made.

First, fill the cylinder with 500 ml of whisky. Turn the tap to fill the bottle with whisky. On the label, write down information about the whisky provided on the day (on the day of this interview, it was peated whiskey that had been aged in bourbon barrels for 35 months). After sticking on the label in any way you like, you have created an original bottle that is the only one of its kind in the world. 
The barrels used for hand-filling are specially selected by the distillery. These are products that they take pride in, and are available only for that one time. The color of the label varies depending on the barrel, so there are visitors who turn up time and again just to collect them.

["Hand-filling Experience" Dates] 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
*Excluding Wednesdays, Thursdays, Obon holidays, and New Year's Day
[Duration] Approximately 5 minutes
[Price] 12,000 yen *Price provided for reference only; prices vary depending on the barrel.
[Reservations] No reservations required. Please inquire directly at SHINDO LAB STAND.

The shop offers an attractive lineup of original products that can only be purchased here, including Japanese sake, shochu, and liqueurs made by Shinozaki.
Of particular note are items featuring graphics from Shinozaki's brand concept, "Q4O (THE QUEST FOR THE ORIGINAL)." The simple yet sophisticated designs on T-shirts, caps, shopping bags, and other items make them the ideal gift or for everyday use.
There is also an extensive selection of merchandise that will tickle the fancy of whisky lovers, such as original tasting glasses and tenugui (a type of Japanese hand towel) featuring the brand logo.

This time, we were guided around SHINDO LAB's facilities by Shohei Umeno, General Manager of the Corporate Planning Department.
We listened to many interesting stories, from the ideas and philosophy behind whisky making and the story behind the brand's birth, to its future prospects. A strong sense of their enthusiasm and spirit of challenge toward creating one-of-a-kind Japanese whiskies came through fully.
Be sure to visit SHINDO LAB, where you can go on a distillery tour and also learn more about the shochu, sake, and other products manufactured by Shinozaki.