Partnership launches with 14 casks across four series at Tokyo Whisky Festival in November
Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, the independent bottler based in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Shinanoya, a Japanese independent retailer, importer and bottler, to bring its Octave portfolio to the Japanese whisky market. Shinanoya’s roots date back to 1930, when it began as a local food and liquor store. The company has a network of specialist wine and spirits boutiques across Tokyo and Yokohama, flagship stores in Ginza and Shinjuku, and relationships across Japan’s bar sector.
Shinanoya has been recognised with four Icons of Whisky Awards from Whisky Magazine, which the release describes as a landmark achievement for a Japanese whisky business. The partnership will initially launch 14 casks across four series, with bottlings created exclusively for the partnership. These include the Shinanoya Series, featuring a Laphroaig 2004, 22-year-old finished in an Oloroso cask, with a label design using a chess motif that signals the brand’s highest-tier releases.
Japan becomes the latest new market for Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky since the relaunch of The Octave series, which the company said now employs 40 people. The announcement follows the recent UK launch of the company’s first Octave Mizunara oak cask finish, a triple-cask Auchentoshan, which sold out within two weeks.
Paul Wang, International Sales Manager at Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, said: “This is a really important market for us, given the sheer scale and size of the Shinanoya network that they have built.” He continued: “We’ve curated bottlings specially for this partnership, leaning into label design features that celebrate the coveted Japanese market. I am confident that the bottlings will sell well, and the smaller 200ml Japan Edition bottles, created from four of the series, will give customers the opportunity to sample these drams before selecting their favourite. This is the first time we have ever created bottles of that size for the mass market.”
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The partnership will officially launch at this year’s Tokyo Whisky Festival at the International Forum in Chiyoda-ku on November 6th and 7th, when seven bottles from the series will be available for tastings, including the Shinanoya Private Bottlings of Laphroaig and Craigellachie.
Yuta Akimoto, Whisky & Spirit Head Buyer for Shinanoya, said: “This has been months in the making, and we’re delighted to be moving forward with the launch of the new packaging design as we build The Octave brand in Japan. A great deal of thought and consideration has gone into the label designs featuring chess pieces and the Japanese flag. Together with Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky we have also created The Gambit Series, which will allow bars to create their own private labels while maintaining a consistent visual identity that clearly identifies each bottle as a Shinanoya and Duncan Taylor Octave cask.”
The company said its Octave portfolio is now available in more than 60 countries. Duncan Taylor announced earlier this year plans to reach an inventory of 1,000 different Octave bottlings during 2026. Since 2009, Duncan Taylor’s Octave releases have received 55 global awards, according to the company.
