Founded with a mission to bring Japan’s whisky heritage to the world, dekantā has spent the past ten years forging partnerships with distilleries, artisans, and independent producers across Japan. From its early days to today, it has aimed to stay true to its founding values of authenticity, craftsmanship and discovery.

One of the hallmarks of dekantā’s approach has been its creative collaborations with Japanese artisans — from traditional lacquerware masters to contemporary designers — resulting in limited-edition bottlings that blend cultural artistry with its whisky.

In 2019, dekantā launched its own independent bottling range. From rare single malts to exclusive blends, these releases aim to showcase its commitment to quality, innovation, and storytelling

dekantā is also known for its Cask Ownership Program. By allowing whisky fans to own their own casks of Japanese whisky, the program offers transparency, secure storage, and expert guidance from one of dekanta’s distillery partners – Karuizawa Whisky Distillery, The Ontake Distillery and Kiyokawa’s Iiyama Mountain Farm Distillery.

“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we reflect with gratitude on the journey we’ve taken and the community that has supported us,” said Makiyo Masa, Founder & Director of dekantā. “From our valued customers and talented partners to the incredible distilleries and artists we work with, this milestone belongs to all of you. We look forward to continuing our mission of bringing the best whiskies from Japan to the rest of the world.”

To mark the occasion, dekantā is unveiling a celebratory single cask release, crafted at Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery. It is aged for over six years in a first-fill bourbon barrel.

dekantā’s Wakatsuru 10th Anniversary is available now for $219.99.

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The three-bottle set of separate expressions from 1999-2000 vintage Karuizawa (each 122 proof) is housed inside a Wajima Lacquerware cabinet and features 24 carat gold leaf layering and Hewett’s hand paintings. Embodying themes concurrent throughout his previous works, this collection celebrates the code of the Samurai and Japan’s martial history by depicting courage, honor and discipline.

Closed since the millennium, the old Karuizawa Distillery has seen rising interest in its single malt whisky since it has become increasingly scarce. With a studio and gallery mere miles from the original distillery, Hewett has been living in Japan for 30 years and has trained under Japanese master potters, screen makers and painters. Most well-known for his use of gold leaf, he has painted the ceilings of ancient Shinto Shrines and completed works for the US embassy in Tokyo, The Ritz Carlton, The Okura Hotel and many public and private collections around the world. In 2018, Hewett’s painting: ‘Majime’ was given by the First Lady of Japan, Aike Abe, as a state gift from Japan to the United States to the visiting First Lady of the US – the painting is now housed in the US National Archives in Washington.

“dekantā has made huge efforts to engage Japanese artists for their projects – their team really understands Japan and wants to support Japanese craftsmanship through their unique offerings,” said artist David Stanley Hewitt.  “Every step of this 18 month long process required minute attention to detail and partnerships with many craftspeople. It has been a wonderful journey seeing those initial sketches turn into a work of art in the real world that I can touch and feel that is probably the most gratifying part of the process.”

With the view to advocating Japanese artistry at the forefront of creating Acclaim, Hewett spent a year traveling the country to work with skilled craftspeople for the glassware and Wajima cabinet. The whisky collection’s ‘stage’ was designed by Hewett in his Karuizawa studio and the lacquer was applied by Taya Lacquer Studio in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, over the course of eight months. The Taya Studio dates back over 200 years to 1818 when Taya Kihei began his craftsmanship of Wajimanuri. Hewett commissioned an expert glassware maker in Japan to create bespoke bottles based on the traditional men’s Kimono with strong soldier-like shoulders. He then applied his artwork to each bottle, before fitting them with handmade, lacquered stoppers that feature the Hewett family crest.

“Working with an artist who has dedicated decades of his life to celebrating Japan’s culture and history through his work has been an honor for me and my team,” said Makiyo Masa, Founder and Director of dekantā. “The Acclaim whisky stage truly is the perfect meeting of luxury Japanese whisky and fine art, making it an incredible collectible piece. I am delighted we have been able to work with David Hewett to bring such a special whisky collection to our clients.”

dekantā’s Acclaim- The Karuizawa Whisky Stage is a limited edition of only 150 bottles, comprising 50 sets of three bottles each, available only at dekantā.com for $50,000.

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With 40 sets available, this limited-edition two-bottle set of 1999-2000 vintage single malt were designed to showcase one of Japan’s legendary sea creatures; the Japanese Sea Nettle. These gentle jellyfish frequent the Pacific waters with their long, trailing tentacles, earning the series its name; Kurage. The text on the two bottles tells the origin story of dekantā.

“We feel that Japanese Sea Nettles capture the true essence of Japanese people and our culture, while also having parallels with the legendary Karuizawa liquid – they are beautiful and elegant in appearance but strong, powerful and determined underneath,” said dekantā Founder and Director Makiyo Masa. “This collection joins an extensive list of exquisite old and rare single malt bottlings that dekantā have sourced, designed and bottled over the years, becoming a piece of Japanese whisky history in the process.”

Various European oak sherry casks and maturities were selected and blended to showcase the full range of notes unique to Karuizawa expressions. “The casks have subtly influenced the color of the liquid, turning it to a gentle mahogany, while also imparting an incredible array of notes onto the spirit. It’s fruity, spicy, and incredibly smooth on the palate,” said Liam Hiller. “You’ve not seen a collection like this before, this set is one the most visually impressive designs in the world to date.”

The dekantā Kurage Collection is on sale now for $13,500 per set.

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Founded in 2015 by Makiyo Masa, dekantā sources some of the latest and rarest bottles of Japanese spirits. Masa began her journey with Japanese whisky, noticing the gap in the market for an online retailer that met the growing demand worldwide. dekantā now features over 2,000 products.

Back in March, I spoke Masa in New York City about the growth of Japanese whisky, sourcing rare finds and the mysteries of Mizunara.

The Whiskey Lifestyle: What inspired you to start dekantā?

Makiyo Masa: Nothing really [or] particularly inspired me to start dekantā. Back to 2013, I first started my business in Asia, in Hong Kong and Macao, I was selling wine and Scottish whiskey. Then I told my husband, who is my business partner, “In Japan, we also produced very good whiskey.” He was very surprised. So, we just started to put some Japanese whiskey into auctions. We were one of the first people to start doing that and it went very well. So, that’s how it started.

TWLS: Having been in the Japanese whiskey space for that long, what it’s like to see the evolution and growth of the spirit?

MM: It’s just unbelievable, the way it’s been growing — it has become so popular. I still couldn’t believe it. I remember in 2014 I hadn’t done the Suntory Rolling Stones, so I bought one for myself for $5,000. But nowadays, you can see it on the retail market for about $55,000. So, this is just unbelievable to see. [Editor’s Note: It now retails for $10,000 more than when this interview was done.]

TWLS: When you are sourcing your products, what inspires you? How do you decide which whiskeys you all sell?

MM: We have two main categories of products, which require different approaches to purchasing. One category is the more standard, popular one. People know or have heard of these [whiskies] mostly likely like a Yamazaki 12, Hibiki 17, Nikka, Yoichi — just the standard ones. The other section is where our Tokyo purchasing team will source the special ones that people never heard of from small craft distilleries like Ji-Whisky, they also produce great whiskies. I also see a spike in demand for vintage collectible bottles, released in the 60s, 70s and 80s, a lot of older bottlings and in particular, from the 1980s for Olympic winter, Olympic games, those bottles. So, we have a purchase team just so working on this part everyday, buying all the older stock anywhere we can source.

TWLS: What has been a unique whiskey that you’ve tried or something that surprised you when you first tasted it?

MM: There are a lot of unique ones for me. Every time I try something new, I feel surprised. Hibiki 21 is my personal favorite personal favorite. So, for really unique one I would say to Yamazaki 25. The color is very sherry. It’s extra finish with Mizunara cask, so when you try [it] you would just think it’s a very sherry but the finish is so beautiful. It’s just finished in the most beautiful way in Mizunara. It’s just surprised me.

TWLS: How do you introduce Japanese Whisky to people?

MM: I always pour the whiskey first. Just try it. That’s the best way to introduce it. Then I start to give them the information about the distillery, the bottle, the label and story behind it. I think the best experience is always to try.

TWLS: We have one here, so let’s try it. [laughs]

MM: This is the Yamazakura, a selection of 963 18 year old pure malt whiskey finished in Mizunara wood. This [distillery] used to make sake, so it’s an old sake producing distillery. In 2000, they started bottling their first single cask, so this is the oldest Yamazakura you will some on the market at 18 years old. [pours whiskey] I don’t know if you’re familiar with Mizunara Oak. The Mizunara tree has to grow to be 200 years old in order for you to cut and use it for something. So, any Mizunara cask is over 200 years old so that’s why its very popular.

TWLS: What is it about the Mizunara tree that makes it so great for aging whiskey?

MM: I cannot give you a very technical answer, but I guess it’s just because it’s unique and it takes a really long time. That’s so rare. And the finish is very smooth. It has a very beautiful balance.

TWLS: What’s next for dekantā?

MM: Our main focus there will always be whiskey because we are so passionate about that. We started with whiskey, but we also sell wine, shochu, awamori — we have a lot of other spirits. For the future, I want to becomes more branded. So, we may try to do more of our open private label bottling, which are from some small distilleries because they are great whiskies but people just never heard of. It’s dekantā’s mission to bring them to our consumers and the world.

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The series features a mix of comedy, whisky news, live music, and cultural trends like face yoga. In the premiere episode, Sen (Asia’s Got Talent, Laugh Factory 2016 Shortlist for ‘Funniest Person in the World’) received a lesson in face yoga from Healthy & Beauty Specialist and Face Yoga Instructor Koko Hayashi, dekantā Founder and Director Makiyo Masa got a dance lesson from singer-songwriter GIRLI, and drinks blogger Whiskey Richard shared the latest Japanese whisky news. Each episode of “Japanese Whisky Lockdown” will raise money for Wellcome’s COVID-Zero Fund with dekantā pledging to match donations from viewers.

“If hearsay is to be believed, alcohol is a tonic against viruses, and of course, laughter is always the best medicine – so our show will keep you in peak physical condition!” said Sen. “’Japanese Whisky Lockdown’ will be partly like a fast-paced variety show, partly like a big whisky tasting with your friends on video conference. We will be blending both Japanese and international humour and culture, in perfect harmony, just like a fine Japanese single malt.”

dekantā have an international community of customers who it refers to as the “dekantā family.” Masa and the dekantā team have previously connected with clients through social media, newsletters, events and the dekantā blog, which covers Japanese whisky news and topics of wider Japanese culture. “I hope our new channel will help bring the international dekantā family even closer together in these challenging times,” said Masa. “Kilara Sen is an exceptional talent, and a bright-shining personality to bring some joy and laughter into people’s lives, covering both in-depth Japanese whisky features and rib-tickling comedy sketches.”

“Japanese Whisky Lockdown” airs on the dekantā website and social media channels every Friday at 8:30pm EDT.

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The Japanese spirits e-commerce site is offering consumers to own this rare whisky, distilled at the turn of the century, just before the distillery closed. Since the Karuizawa distillery ceased production in 2000, demand for its remaining stock has increased dramatically, along with demand for Japanese whisky in general. The limited stock of Karuizawa whisky that remains is usually sold via auction or ballot.

Each of the bottles in the Karuizawa 1999-2000 ‘Koinobori’ Series carries a limited edition design depicting the Koinobori carp, a potent symbol in Japan of good fortune. Traditional Japanese culture associates the Koinobori with the family: The black Koinobori symbolises the father; the red is a symbol of the mother; and the small Koinobori in violet, blue or green are symbolic of the children. During some of the country’s most prominent festivals, Koinobori will be seen on the outside of houses in Japan, in honour of the family, to bring good fortune, health and strength. There are 30 sets available of each of the three designs.

The Japanese single malt in these bottles has been crafted from a range of vintage whiskies distilled throughout 1999 and 2000. Various cask types and maturities were selected with the aim of creating a complex flavor profile representing Karuizawa’s archetypal taste. “The flavour profile on this whisky is one of the most complex found among Karuizawa expressions,” said dekantā Founder and Director Makiyo Masa. “We feel that the beautiful Koinobori design, a potent symbol of family and good fortune here in Japan, is a fitting palace to house the fine whisky within.”

In February 2018, dekantā’s ballot for a series of Karuizawa whiskies, inspired by cities of Japan, attracted over 3,500 entries for just 150 bottles. “The success of our previous ballots has been indicative of the huge demand and enthusiasm for liquid from the silent Japanese distillery,” said Makiyo Masa. “I’m delighted that, for the first time, we will be offering expressions from Karuizawa for online purchase , rather than a ballot or auction, to give more whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to own one of these stunning bottles.”

For those who order, bottles will be delivered by the end of April 2020.

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This private label, single cask whisky from the retailer, home to the world’s largest online inventory of Japanese whisky, has spent time maturing in a cask freshly emptied of Scotch whisky from the closed Port Ellen distillery, before being finished in a cask of Japanese Mizunara oak. The Eigashima 2011 Kigai – Ki Series is a highly limited release of only 352 bottles.  

The Eigashima 2011 Kigai is the second in the Ki Series of independently bottled Japanese whiskies from dekantā, the first of which was the Eigashima 2011 Kikou – Ki Series, so called because each whisky in the series will explore an aspect of life imbued with the Japanese concept of Ki. The label and packaging is inspired by a Shōgun military leader of the Samurai caste, and is so named Kigai, meaning ‘strong, willful and unshakeable’ in Japanese.

“In releasing our fourth anniversary whisky, we wanted to bring together Japanese whisky history with powerful aspects of wider Japanese cultural history,” said dekantā director Makiyo Masa. “The Kigai pays homage to the Scottish education of the ‘Father of Japanese Whisky’ Masataka Taketsuru with its smoky Port Ellen influence, while bringing the whisky firmly back into Japanese territory by the influence of the archetypal Japanese Mizunara wood. The Mizunara tree is the warrior of the Japanese forest, a difficult oak to work with, but a rare jewel imbued with Kigai, and so it brings the spirit of the Samurai to our second private bottling.”

Eigashima 2011 (Kigai – Ki Series) is now 60% ABV and $749.99.

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