Shizuoka Contact S Single Malt / 3 Year Old Single Whisky

Shizuoka Contact S Single Malt / 3 Year Old Single Whisky: Big Character, Smart Value

Discover a young Japanese single malt with impressive depth, a distinctive production story, and a price that makes exploration easy. Shizuoka Contact S Single Malt / 3 Year Old Single Whisky brings together whisky made in two different stills at Shizuoka Distillery, creating a lively and layered dram with plenty of personality.

Presented as a distillery bottling, Contact S offers an authentic taste of Shizuoka’s approach to whisky making. It is bottled at a powerful 55.5% ABV, giving you the flexibility to enjoy it neat, with a few drops of water, or in a carefully made whisky cocktail. At 70cl, the generous bottle size also makes it an excellent choice for sharing, tasting, or building a Japanese whisky collection without stretching the budget.

Two Still Styles, One Distinctive Japanese Single Malt

Contact S is made using whisky from both Shizuoka’s ex-Karuizawa pot still and its wood-fired pot still. This combination brings together different textures and aromas, resulting in a whisky that feels more varied and expressive than its three-year age might suggest.

• Ex-Karuizawa pot still whisky: Adds depth and a link to Japan’s much-loved whisky history.
• Wood-fired pot still whisky: Brings an individual character shaped by Shizuoka’s traditional production method.
• Three years of maturation: Allows the spirit to develop fresh fruit, pastry, sweetness, and gentle savoury notes.
• Distillery bottling: Offers a direct expression of Shizuoka Distillery’s style.

Carefully Chosen Casks for Rich, Approachable Flavour

The whisky was matured for three years in a combination of first-fill bourbon casks and quarter casks. First-fill bourbon casks are known for contributing vanilla, cream, caramel, and soft oak notes. Quarter casks offer more contact between the spirit and the wood, helping to build flavour and texture in a shorter period.

This cask combination gives Contact S a satisfying balance between bright fruit and comforting sweetness. It is energetic and youthful, yet rounded enough to enjoy slowly. The high strength adds presence, while the whisky’s generous fruit and pastry notes keep it inviting rather than difficult.

What to Expect in the Glass

The nose opens with the fresh, juicy scent of apple juice, followed by ripe mango, cream, caramel, and buttered toast. These aromas create an appealing first impression, combining tropical fruit with warm bakery sweetness.

On the palate, rich tea biscuits and stewed apples lead the way. Layers of croissant, caramel, sea salt, dark chocolate, and black tea follow, adding contrast and depth. The result is a whisky with a broad range of flavours, moving from fruity and creamy to toasted, gently salty, and pleasantly bittersweet.

• Nose: Apple juice, ripe mangoes, cream, caramel, and buttered toast.
• Palate: Rich tea biscuits, stewed apples, croissants, caramel, sea salt, dark chocolate, and black tea.
• Strength: 55.5% ABV for a full and concentrated tasting experience.
• Format: 70cl distillery bottling.

A Rewarding Choice for Curious Whisky Drinkers

Contact S is a compelling option for anyone who wants to explore Japanese single malt without committing to a premium-priced bottle. Its unusual still combination, thoughtful cask selection, and bold flavour profile offer plenty to discover at an accessible point. It is equally suited to enthusiasts seeking something different and newcomers looking for a bottle with a clear story and memorable character.

Enjoy it neat to appreciate the full intensity, add a small splash of water to open the fruit and sweetness, or serve it over a large ice cube for a slower, refreshing pour. Its rich profile also gives it enough strength to stand out in classic whisky cocktails.

Bring Home a Distinctive Shizuoka Dram

Add a bottle of Shizuoka Contact S Single Malt / 3 Year Old Single Whisky to your collection and enjoy a characterful Japanese whisky at an appealing value. With its rare blend of pot still styles, bourbon and quarter cask maturation, and generous tasting notes, this is a bottle made for discovery.

Add it to your cart today and pour yourself an affordable taste of Shizuoka’s bold, modern single malt style.