Ariake Sangyo
was founded in Kyoto in 1963 as a small, family-owned business established by
the Odawara clan. It was here, at the Kyoto headquarters that the firm began
its history. In the early days it started out making wooden crates to cradle
Japan’s traditional 1.8 litre Sake
bottles that are known locally as Sho-bin.
Then, in 1984 the firm, using its
knowledge of wood properties officially began making casks to meet the initial
requirements of wine and Sochu makers
all over Japan. Due to a stand-out reputation, increasing demand, reservations
and inquiries from whisky distillers, within a few years it was necessary to
expand and in 1997 built its present warehouse–Ariake Barrel. Situated in Miyazaki prefecture, located in the
southwest of Kyushu, in Japan’s third-largest island, the establishment is one
of the few remaining cooperages in the island nation.
In terms of scale and activity, the
amount of employees, and cask turnout, the cooperage is relatively small when
compared to international large-scale ‘mega’ production facilities. Eleven
highly-skilled 20 year veteran craftsmen on average turnout about 3,600 casks
annually or 300 units per month–each barrel a testimony to the many years of
experience and dedication to the master coopers. It takes patience, skill, and
passion to create the perfect barrel. Time and attention that a small-scale
artisanal cooperage like Ariake Barrel
painstakingly put into making casks is extremely significant, especially at a
time when most large cooperages have significantly replaced man with machines.
Ariake Barrel
continue the age-old craftsmanship using traditional methods and tools where
the majority of the workload is by hand involving hard physical work. Here, highly skilled individuals have not
been replaced mechanically, the only aid given to the ageing specialists is one
mechanical hoop driver for putting on head hoops. Quarter and central hoops,
stave repair, and the fitting of barrel heads are implemented the old-fashion
way–wielding a weighty hammer and driver.
There is no automated assemblage or
charring here, no computer driven technology, nor any gas burners in sight,
traditional toasting and charring methods are employed. Open end casks are
placed over open-fire wood burners for a pre-light toast before wood chips and
wood shavings are added for 15 seconds to achieve the right level of char.
Degree of charring is determined by the eyes and expertise of the coopers who
will, when ready, physically and theatrically burrow behind flamed engulfed
casks, and by using their body strength and hands lay the casks on their side
and roll them for an additional 8 seconds before being extinguished–timing,
speed, and the personal pursuit of excellence remain at the forefront. Singed
and blackened faces coincide with the beginning of popping and cracking sounds.
90 percent of these newly coopered barrels will go to Sochu industry while the remaining 10 percent is allocated to domestic whisky
produces, most of which being for craft or upcoming distilleries. In addition to the production of American Oak barrels at the cooperage Ariake-Barrel import new virgin casks (whole) - French wine (95 percent) and American Oak (5 percent), along with refill casks (whole) - Brandy (50 percent) and Sherry (50 percent).
Currently Ariake-Barrel is not officially open to the public but this may well change in due time.
