Ikawa Distillery

History and Story

Ikawa Distillery is a Japanese whisky distillery operated by Juzan Co., Ltd. and located in the Southern Alps of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Established in 2020, the distillery sits at an altitude of about 1,200 meters in the remote Ikawa Forest, making it the highest whisky distillery in Japan and one of the most isolated. It is surrounded by vast company-owned forests through which the headwaters of the Ōi River flow, providing pristine natural resources for whisky production.

Ikawa Distillery is currently developing its future 12-year single malt through a staged release program known as “Dessin Series”. The series is divided into two themes inspired by the surrounding alpine ecosystem. Flora represents plants of the Southern Alps and consists of non-peated whiskies, while Fauna represents regional wildlife and consists of peated whiskies. Each release features different species from the region, emphasizing the connection between the whisky and the alpine environment.

Through these releases, Ikawa gradually refines and balances flavor components while the whisky matures, with the goal of creating the complexity required for its first 12-year aged single malt.