The US launch of ‘TEITESSA’ single-grain Japanese whisky and ‘AWAYUKI’ Japanese Strawberry Gin has been announced by ICONIC Spirits.
The five varieties of the Japanese whisky TEITESSA were aged between 15 and 30 years each in different types of wood, including American white oak, Spanish oak, and French Limousin oak. The result is a vibrant, flavorful liquid that is balanced and delectable.
Using pink and white Awayuki strawberries cultivated in Japan's Nara Prefecture, AWAYUKI Japanese Strawberry Gin is a rich, delicious gin. AWAYUKI is very aromatic, delectable, and well-balanced because of the over 300 lbs. of these rare strawberries, juniper, and other botanicals.
Both spirits are offered in Total Wine & More outlets in several markets, as well as at a few independent wine and spirits stores and online at Drizly.
Image Credit: ICONIC Spirits
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Japanese Craft Spirits
- The rise of super-premium Japanese artisanal spirits like TEITESSA and AWAYUKI presents opportunities for craft distilleries to experiment with unique Japanese flavors and ingredients.
- Aging Innovation
- Artisanal distillers can harness the success of the aging process techniques used in TEITESSA by experimenting with oak types and times to create a range of unique, high-quality spirits.
- Fruit-infused Spirits
- The success of AWAYUKI highlights a trend towards using unique and local fruit varieties to infuse spirits with unique and exotic flavors, providing new opportunities for craft distillers to experiment with local and sustainable fruits.
Where This Applies
- Craft Distilleries
- Craft distilleries can leverage the heightened interest in artisanal, high-quality craft spirits to build a portfolio of spirits that experiment with Japanese flavors and unique aging processes that rival traditional whiskey and gin products.
- Luxury Spirits
- The category for luxury spirits may see a further boost with the arrival of super-premium Japanese artisanal spirits like TEITESSA and AWAYUKI.
- Fruit Producers
- The success of AWAYUKI highlights a trend towards using unique and local fruit varieties to infuse spirits with unique and exotic flavors, presenting opportunities for fruit producers to partner with distillers on crafting new and unique products.
