Toyama's Saburomaru releases Ⅷ STRENGTH, made with Islay malt

Saburomaru Distillery, in Tonami, Toyama Prefecture (central Honshu, in the Hokuriku region, facing the Sea of Japan), released “Saburomaru Ⅷ (Eight) STRENGTH”, the latest bottling in its single malt series, on 21 May 2026. The spirit was distilled in 2022, and the malt was produced on Islay in Scotland. It is a “super heavily peated” malt, dried over a very strong peat fire. This is a bottling from a Japanese distillery made with ingredients from the heartland of smoky whisky.

Islay peat, distilled in Toyama

The malt used has a phenol level of 80 PPM. PPM measures the amount of smoky compounds transferred from the peat smoke while the malt is dried, and 80 PPM falls firmly into the strongly smoky category. According to Takahiko Inagaki, head of the distillery and also president of its parent company Wakatsuru Shuzo, Islay peat is becoming harder to obtain year by year. He says this malt was secured thanks to lengthy negotiations and a relationship of trust built up over many years. As for the flavour it aims for, the distillery describes it as “powerful smoke wrapped in a soft sea breeze”.

Two strengths, limited bottles

There are two versions. One is the standard 48% ABV edition (700 ml, 7,250 bottles), with a recommended retail price in Japan of 19,800 yen including tax. The other is a 59% cask strength edition (700 ml, 1,600 bottles), bottled at the strength it came out of the cask, priced at 29,040 yen including tax. Both are also sold overseas. Saburomaru Distillery began making whisky in 1952 and is the oldest distillery in the Hokuriku region; it underwent a major renovation in 2017. In 2019 it developed the “ZEMON” still, which uses the traditional copper casting techniques of Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture.

Tarot and paper-cut labels

Since “Saburomaru 0 THE FOOL” in 2020, the series has taken one Major Arcana tarot card at a time as its theme. For this ninth release, the card chosen is Strength, which carries the meanings of compassion, sincerity, control and perseverance. The label is the work of Yukie Kano, a paper-cut artist from Himi in Toyama Prefecture. As with the previous releases up to “Saburomaru Ⅶ THE CHARIOT” (released in November 2025), Kano has designed it.

If you are looking for this whisky in Europe, the quickest route is to ask specialist retailers and importers of Japanese whisky. Because so few bottles were made, it is worth checking with the shop whether it can be obtained. When tasting, you may notice the differences in distillery and maturation environment by comparing it with an Islay single malt peated to a similar level. Try the 48% edition neat first, then add a few drops of water, which may open up the sea-like aromas. The 59% cask strength edition suits adding water little by little and following how the aromas change.