The fragrances of three types of trees, 'Hinoki,' 'Maple,' and 'Kiri,' make their debut. A new challenge in the world of Japanese whiskey and sake, aiming to capture the essence of the forest.

The tree-scented Japanese sake 'BOKKA' embarks on a new challenge.

FERMENT8 Co., Ltd. (based in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture; represented by CEO Takashi Nagai) has released three new flavors of their tree-scented Japanese sake "BOKKA" as "BOKKA-Hinoki (HINOKI)," "BOKKA-Maple (MAPLE)," and "BOKKA-Kiri (KIRI)" starting from March 2024.

https://bokka-sake.com

BOKKA was initially launched via the crowdfunding service Makuake in November 2022. It reached its funding goal within hours of the project's announcement, garnering considerable attention.

A new flavor has been born for the tree-scented Japanese sake "BOKKA."

"BOKKA" Defined

"BOKKA" is a Japanese sake liqueur infused with the aroma of wood. It is crafted by smoking various types of wood found in forests through a special process, allowing them to permeate and infuse into a base of ultra-premium sake.

This unique beverage allows you to enjoy the distinct characteristics of wood aroma alongside the smooth taste of ultra-premium sake. While oak barrels are predominantly used for whiskey aging, Japan boasts a diverse array of wood varieties that aren't commonly used for barrel making.

By blending these characteristics of Japanese wood with the smooth taste of ultra-premium sake, we aimed to create a sake experience that evokes the sensation of encountering unfamiliar trees. This endeavor is aimed at expanding the possibilities of sake brewing by offering a unique experience that hasn't been explored before. After successful experimentation with infusing the fragrance of heated wood chips into sake through a specialized process, we have finally achieved our goal.

"BOKKA," which has been completed by adding the blessings of trees to the traditional Japanese culture of sake, represents a challenge in the realm of Japanese sake liqueurs aimed at creating a uniquely Japanese whiskey-like experience.

How to Enjoy BOKKA

While BOKKA falls under the category of Japanese sake liqueur in terms of production, its flavor profile resembles that of whiskey, boasting a rich aroma. It's recommended to enjoy BOKKA by mixing it with soda water to create a BOKKA Highball.

Given that its base is sake, BOKKA has a lower alcohol content of 16% compared to whiskey, making it more approachable. With only rice, rice koji, and wood chips from various trees as ingredients, you can enjoy it with peace of mind.

BOKKA is based on Japanese sake but its flavor is closer to whiskey, allowing you to enjoy it either as a highball mixed with soda water or on the rocks.

BOKKA's New Flavors

The newly released flavors along with existing ones are as follows. They are all based on pure rice ultra-premium sake brewed in Niigata, infused with the aroma of the following Japanese trees using wood chips:

• BOKKA HINOKI (New Flavor)
• BOKKA MAPLE (New Flavor)
• BOKKA KIRI (New Flavor)
• BOKKA OAK
• BOKKA CEDAR
• BOKKA WALNUT

The flavors from left to right are: Kiri (Paulownia), Sugi (Japanese Cedar), Nara (Japanese Oak), Hinoki (Japanese Cypress), Kaede (Japanese Maple), and Kurumi (Walnut).