Hokkaido Mizunara Oak is an exercise in precision, patience, and artistry. After blending a thoughtful collection of 9- to 18-year-old aged whiskeys for balance and depth, the custom whiskey blend spent an extraordinary 28 months finishing in six, 66-gallon barrels made of rare Japanese Mizunara oak—a bold maturation that reveals the full character of this elusive wood. To honor this meeting of traditions, we turn to an older rhythm. Japan’s ancient solar calendar divides the year into twenty-four subtle seasons, each a shift in nature’s breath.
The finishing journey began on Bardstown’s distillery grounds in Warehouse H, in a custom room specifically built to accommodate large barrels. This area sees wide temperature swings and rapid extraction, resulting in an increase in proof and strong imprint from the rich Mizunara Oak. Barrels were then transferred to the center of the first floor of the Warehouse E, one of Bardstown’s largest rickhouses, slowly concentrating the flavors and easing into the correct balance.
Mizunara oak trees, native to the Hokkaido province, grow twisted and slow in Japan’s most remote forests with rich, volcanic soil that imparts notes of spice and umami flavors. Their scarcity and remote locale, along with the technical difficulty of coopering the wood, makes each barrel a feat of true craftsmanship. Mizunara Oak is unforgiving—its trees grow twisted in remote forests, making each barrel a feat of craftsmanship. But the reward is rare: deep complexity, unmistakable character.Â
Â
DISCOVERY 13
Our Discovery series highlights the art of blending, combining exquisite whiskies so the sum is better than any part. Discovery 13 transforms luck into legend with a bold blend of Kentucky Bourbon perfected with Hungarian and American Oak. This limited release embraces the mystery of its number, offering a whiskey that’s rich, layered, and for the first time, double-barreled in the Discovery series for added depth and distinction.
