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Japanese distiller releases video game-themed whiskey

13 July 2023 By Louis Thomas

Wakatsuru Distillery in Toyama has teamed up with Tokyo-based video game developer Atlus to release a series of whisky bottles inspired by the popular Persona franchise.

The Persona role-playing video game series has been around since 1996 and has had since had more than 20 instalments. Players play a character living in a modern Japanese city going through the trials and tribulations of adolescent life.

The whisky has been made at Saburomaru Distillery, Wakatusuru Distillery’s whisky division, by master blender and manager Takahiko Inagaki. His grandfather, Kotaro Inagaki, began making whisky at Saburomaru in the 1950s when a rice shortage limited Wakatusuru’s sake production.

Two whiskies in the collaboration have been released so far. The Saburomaru x Persona Blended Whiskey is described as “smoky and rich flavoured”, with the label depicting the main characters from the Persona 3 Portable, Persona 4 The Golden and Persona 5 The Royal. It is available for ¥8,800 (around US$64).

The other whisky released so far is the more premium Single Cask Saburomaru P3P. The striking label features the character Orpheus, from Persona 3 Portable. The single malt inside was barrel-aged for three years. Just 250 bottles are available, and it retails for ¥21,978 (approximately US$160).

Two more single cask expressions are due to be released in August and September, inspired by Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal respectively.

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