NINE LEAVES 2016 4 YEARS OLD 66,6% VELIER - JAPONIANI

This special cask is a blend of 3 types of rum coming from sugarcane from 3 different Japanese islands. Distilled in 2016 and aged 4 years, this is a single cask part of the series the 'Japoniani' released by Velier in 2020.

One of 350 bottles.

THE BRAND

Nine Leaves is a micro distillery in Otsu located in Shiga Prefecture, near Kyoto, on the shores of Lake Biwa. Founded in 2013 by Yoshiharu Takeuchi after two years of work and after learning the distillation techniques of the Chichibu distillery, can count on two stills built by the Scottish Forsyths.

Yoshiharu Takeuchi is a descendant of an important Japanese family and the symbol on the labels of his rums, consisting of nine bamboo leaves, represents the family crest, from which the name "nine leaves" derives.

THE BOTTLER

Velier was founded by the Chaix family in Genova in 1947 as a small traditional company specialised in the importation and distribution of wines, champagnes and spirits. In 1983, a young Luca Gargano, former brand ambassador for Saint James at that time, acquired shares in Velier. Under his influence the company began spacialising in the importation of outstanding spirits exclusively destinated to the Italian market. By the early 90s Luca heard about a legendary stock of Saint James rum dating back probably to 1885 and bottled in 1952. After a complex negotiation, he finally managed to acquire the entire stock. This was only the first of a list of legendary selections to come in the following years.