Wakadane Shuzo Wins Double Gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026

Wakadane Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture; President and CEO: Takahiko Inagaki) is pleased to announce that two of its whisky products have been awarded the highest honor—Double Gold—at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2026 (SFWSC), one of the world’s most prestigious spirits competitions.

The Single Malt Saburoumaru VI THE LOVERS Cask Strength previously earned a Double Gold at TWSC2026 (Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition) and a Gold at WWA2026 (World Whiskies Awards).

Following these accolades, the company has now secured recognition in a major American competition.

In total, five of the company’s products received Gold or higher awards, affirming the internationally acclaimed quality and unique character of whiskies crafted at the Saburoumaru Distillery.

Award Results

Double Gold

• Saburoumaru V THE HIEROPHANT Cask Strength

• Single Cask Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 REMAKE Series Zhuge Liang #210153

Gold

• Saburoumaru VI THE LOVERS

• Saburoumaru V THE HIEROPHANT

• SAB.OCEAN BLUE 1ST BATCH

[SFWSC2026 Double Gold Winner]

Product Name: Single Malt "Saburoumaru V THE HIEROPHANT Cask Strength"

Volume: 700ml

Ingredients: Malt (Heavily Peated)

Alcohol Content: 60%

Distillation Year: 2021

Suggested Retail Price: ¥20,900 (tax included)

※ Sold out in Japan

[SFWSC2026 Double Gold Winner]

Product Name: Single Cask Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 REMAKE Series Zhuge Liang #210153

Volume: 700ml

Ingredients: Oloroso Spanish Oak Butt

Alcohol Content: 59%

Distillation Year: 2021

Suggested Retail Price: ¥29,700 (tax included)

※ Sold out in Japan

[SFWSC2026 Gold Winners] (from left)

• Single Malt "Saburoumaru VI THE LOVERS"

Alcohol Content: 48%　　Volume: 700ml　　Suggested Retail Price: ¥16,500 (tax included)

• Single Malt "Saburoumaru V THE HIEROPHANT"

Alcohol Content: 48%　　Volume: 700ml　　Suggested Retail Price: ¥15,400 (tax included)

• SAB.OCEAN BLUE 1ST BATCH

Alcohol Content: 48%　　Volume: 700ml　　Suggested Retail Price: ¥9,900 (tax included)

Global Recognition at Prestigious Competition

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is one of the world’s most respected spirits judging events, attracting thousands of entries from around the globe. Judging is conducted through blind tastings by a panel of industry-leading experts. The Double Gold award is granted only to products that receive a Gold rating from every judge, making it one of the highest honors in the industry.

This year, both "Saburoumaru V THE HIEROPHANT Cask Strength" and "Single Cask Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 REMAKE Series Zhuge Liang #210153" achieved an exceptional score of 98 points. Additionally, the Tarot Card series and its sub-series received Gold awards, demonstrating that Wakadane Shuzo’s whisky craftsmanship is earning top-tier recognition on the global stage.

Saburoumaru Distillery

Located in Saburoumaru, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, the Saburoumaru Distillery is the oldest whisky distillery in the Hokuriku region. Wakadane Shuzo, the parent company, was founded in 1862 (Bunkyu 2). Since beginning whisky production in 1952, the company has spent over 70 years dedicated to crafting smoky-flavored whisky. In 2017, the fifth-generation president, Takahiko Inagaki, led a major renovation of the distillery, marking a new beginning. The distillery now operates under the concept of "The Ultimate Peat," striving to innovate continuously. In 2019, it invented "ZEMON," the world’s first cast-metal still, leveraging the traditional craftsmanship of Takaoka copperware from Toyama. By using local Mizunara wood for casks and other region-specific materials, the distillery is committed to producing unique whiskies that can only be made in Toyama and sharing them with the world.