About dekantā
Leading online retailer and award-winning independent bottler of Japanese whisky, dekantā offers the world’s largest online selection of authentic Japanese spirits with an inventory of over 2,000 products, and, since the opening of its online store in 2015, has shipped more than 20,000 bottles to customers around the world. A family owned and run business, dekantā’s founders have been selling collectibles since 1985 and specialize in rare, collectible, and new release single malt Japanese whisky. dekantā offers worldwide delivery on an extensive range of Japanese single malt whisky, Japanese grain whisky and Japanese blended whisky, in addition to Scottish whisky released for the Japanese market only. More recently, Japanese wine has been introduced through the dekantā Cellar, and spirits from wider Asia through dekantā Oriental.
Contact Info
For press inquiries, please contact:
Iona Stevenson
Email: press@dekanta.com
Press Library
dekantā has a library of press assets available for journalists to use at https://dekanta.com/press-library/.
PRESS RELEASES
dekantā’s latest Karuizawa private bottling reaches new height of acclaim
April 10, 2023TOKYO — Monday April 10 — Luxury Japanese whisky retailer dekantā is taking its private bottlings to new levels with its latest collection of rare Karuizawa single malt – at the intersection of fine art and whisky.Award winning independent bottler dekantā has partnered with prominent Karuizawa based artist David Stanley Hewett, and a […]
New Karuizawa Distillery Announces Historic Partnership with dekantā
The agreement involves supply of Japanese whisky and creative collaboration for many years to come. December 21, 2022TOKYO – The partnership commitment will see independent bottler and Japanese whisky specialist dekantā and the new Karuizawa distillery in Japan working together for the foreseeable future, resulting in a combination of official distillery bottlings and independent releases, alongside […]
Jellyfish Inspired Rare Japanese Whisky Collection on Sale Friday
This Friday, a rare opportunity will arise for whisky enthusiasts to experience the increasingly sought-after taste of Japanese single malt. From the legendary Karuizawa distillery, online luxury spirits retailer dekantā exclusively presents their latest bottling; The Kurage Collection. February 8, 2022TOKYO — With 40 sets available, this limited-edition, single malt pair offers dekantā clients a […]
Japanese Whisky Paired With J Jazz Will Have You Tasting Notes
Japanese whisky specialists dekantā present a pairing guaranteed to stimulate the senses: an LP, compiled by BBE Music and featuring beloved tracks from Japanese Jazz history, each matched with a Japanese whisky. December 2, 2021TOKYO — 2 December 2021 – Produced in association with independent record label BBE Music, this new LP from dekantā – an […]
Thirst for Japanese Whisky Strong as New Standards Set
As new standards for Japanese whisky labeling are announced, surveyed consumers report Japanese whisky is in high demand and increasingly exciting. February 22, 2021Calls to set a standard for what constitutes a Japanese whisky were met this week by the Japan Spirits & Liquors Makers Association, who published new, government-approved labeling standards for Japanese whisky […]
PRESS COVERAGE
The fight to protect Japanese whisky from foreign blends
Financial Times •Japan is home to around 24 bona fide whisky distilleries, but that number is growing all the time. One of the newest is Asaka, north of Tokyo. Formerly an importer and blender, the company began distilling in 2016 and recently released its first whiskies, including dekanta Asaka Aoi Edition, a single-barrel, three-year-old blend bottled exclusively for Japanese whisky specialists dekanta – fragrant and lightly spicy, it shows great promise (£194.99, dekanta.com).
Ushering in a New Era of Transparency for Japanese Whisky
Imbibe •Masa adds that the production regulations are in line with what she expected, and that she’s particularly pleased to see how they will help establish a more firm regional style and sense of place for the category. “It sounds simple, but the fact that the spirit must be fermented, distilled, and aged at a distillery in Japan is a major step forward for the category. This particular rule will ensure greater transparency on provenance, something that international consumers have come to expect—given the protections around Scotch whisky, for example—and so allows Japanese whisky to truly enter the global playing field.”
Japanese Whisky Regulations are Changing. What Does That Mean for Your Next Pour?
Wine Enthusiast •For example, at importer/retailer Dekantā, there are no plans to change which bottles are brought into the U.S., explains founder and director Makiyo Masa. However, many products will be recategorized or relabeled to conform to the new standards, she says. “Products that are known to contain both Japanese and imported whisky will be listed as ‘world blends,’” says Masa. “Any spirit that cannot be labeled as Japanese whisky under the new standards will be listed as being of ‘unspecified origin.’” This likely will apply to “less than 40%” of Dekantā imports, she estimates.
A Solution to Japan’s Whisky Conundrum (Episode 859: February 21, 2021)
WhiskyCast •Japan’s whiskies have been getting more attention on the world stage. While some “Japanese Whiskies” are rightly winning awards in major competitions, others with the same label are often Scotch or Canadian whiskies imported into Japan – where there’s no legal definition for what is a “Japanese Whisky” and what isn’t. Now, Japan’s whisky makers are stepping in where the government has so far failed to act, creating an industry-wide definition requiring that whiskies labeled as “Japanese Whisky” must actually be distilled in Japan. We’ll discuss the new standards with Makiyo Masa of Dekantā, one of the largest online retailers specializing in Japanese whiskies.
Some Japanese Whiskies Aren’t From Japan. Some Aren’t Even Whisky.
The New York Times •While many of the premier brands, like Yamazaki and its 18 Year Old, point out that they are made exclusively in Japan, others refuse to say. “It puts Japanese whisky’s reputation at risk,” said Makiyo Masa, the founder of Dekanta, an online retailer.