While retaining the design of ‘The First’ as a single malt from the Kuju Distillery, we have expressed the changing seasons and the imagery evoked by each release under the theme of ‘The Sky of Kuju’. We plan to release one expression per year.
The first release, ‘sora2025’, captures
‘the end of summer, just as the first hints of autumn begin to drift through the air, as the sun begins to set’.
According to blender Takeishi, it evokes “a somewhat dry orange”.
“Whilst ‘THE FIRST’ had strong elements of ‘green’ and ‘yellow’, in this blend, the more vibrant fruitiness and the sun-baked earth-like aroma found within the peated spirit bring to mind ‘orange’,” he explains.
This single malt is a careful blend of multiple matured spirits, including peated malt, offering a distinct, upfront fruitiness of ripened fruit, followed by a lingering peat aroma that unfolds in the finish. It retains the complex, full-bodied character of the original spirits whilst delivering a more multi-layered fruitiness.
Source: Kuju Distillery Official Facebook
At ‘BAR Shinkai’, it is served at 3,630 yen for 45ml, 2,420 yen for 30ml, and 1,210 yen for 15ml.
For more information on the Single Malt Kuju Sora 2025, please see this article.
