Gakkogawa Distillery

About the distillery

Gakkogawa Distillery is located in Yuza-machi in Yamagata Prefecture, and is a young whisky distillery under Tatenokawa Shuzo. The site uses Chokaisan’s underground water and highlights the nature surrounding the distillery: mountains, rivers, and the sea. It is an ambitious project in which a long sake-brewing tradition now also includes whisky.

History

The roots go back to 1832, when an envoy from the Uesugi clan was impressed by the quality of the water in Shonai and urged Heishiro Sato to begin brewing sake. In 1854, he started his sake business, and the following year the lord of the Shonai domain named it Tatenokawa after tasting the family’s sake. The brewery, which today is known as Tatenokawa Brewery in Sakata City, has since grown into a historical six-generation brewery. In December 2021, Gakkogawa Distillery was established in Yuza-machi. The actual whisky preparation got underway in October 2023, and the distillery was simultaneously connected to a new pot still, which was showcased at the Tokyo Whisky Festival that same year. In this way, the distillery adds a new chapter to a long brewing history—but with an entirely different spirit in the glass.

Ingredients and production

Production is based on Chokaisan’s underground water, which the distillery describes as clear and particularly well-suited to creating a fine and refined flavor. The site is set in a landscape of mountains, rivers, and the sea, and the local nature and local climate are highlighted as part of the whisky’s character. The distillery emphasizes care at every stage and says it will produce only what it can manage down to the smallest detail. In addition, a deliberate and straightforward approach to the spirit’s quality is highlighted. The text also mentions a pot still, but does not provide details on the number, construction, fermentation process, or grain types.

Visit the distillery

There are no described fixed visitor activities such as tours, tastings, or a visitor shop. The only specific visit point mentioned in the material is that the distillery was supposed to exhibit at the Tokyo Whisky Festival on December 2 and 3, 2023, where the new pot still was shown. The text does not provide information on opening hours or bookings.

Philosophy and craft

The distillery works with a clearly stated philosophy of using Chokaisan’s underground water, of keeping production at a level that can be controlled in detail, and of striving for a beautiful and clean flavor. The quality of the spirit is at the center, and the nature around the Gakko River basin is described as an active part of the whisky’s identity.