World Whiskey Society is launching a bourbon that’s finished in a rare, Japanese cask

World Whiskey Society's newest bourbon was dubbed "Samurai Edition"

By Christopher Osburn Published July 6, 2025

Whiskey in a glass — Maksym Tymchyk 🇺🇦 / Unsplash

Fans of exceptional, unique whiskey know all about the World Whiskey Society’s prowess. Founded in 2020, this brand strives to bring rare, ultra-premium expressions to whiskey drinkers’ home bars and liquor cabinets. Its newest whiskey combines America’s “native spirit” with the aging techniques popularized in Japan.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Japanese Mizunara Shochu Barrels

World Whiskey Society

To say this whiskey is unique is an understatement. This 108-proof Kentucky straight bourbon dubbed the “Samurai Edition” begins with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Originating at the renowned Bardstown Bourbon Company, it’s first matured in charred white American oak barrels before being finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks previously used to age Shochu.

Recommended Videos

According to the brand, the result is a complex, memorable whiskey that perfectly balances mellow, sweet notes and rich, spicy heat. The bottle is also adorned with a collectible Samurai helmet topper that will be the envy of all your whiskey-loving friends.

“We’re proud of this extraordinary, virtually unrepeatable bourbon finished in Japanese Mizunara Shochu casks,” Alex Kogan, CEO of the World Whiskey Society, says.

“With only 2,000 bottles available worldwide, this expression reflects our commitment to pushing boundaries and creating rare, world-class whiskey experiences that collectors and connoisseurs won’t find anywhere else.”

Where can I buy it?

Whiskey glass — coldsnowstorm / istock

It’s currently only available at the World Whiskey Society online shop and at select whiskey retailers throughout the United States, with a suggested retail price of $124 for a 750ml bottle. For more information about the World Whiskey Society, visit https://worldwhiskey.com/.

Christopher Osburn

Writer

Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Food & Drink

World Whiskey Society is releasing a 9-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon in a unique bottle

World Whiskey Society released a 9-year-old bourbon in an eye-catching bottle

Whiskey in a glass

The World Whiskey Society was launched in 2020 as a place for whiskey drinkers to get bottles of ultra-premium, rare, hard-to-find expressions. This popular brand either releases a whiskey outright or finishes it in a unique barrel before launching it. Its most recent release is high-proof Kentucky straight bourbon. But not only is the whiskey itself noteworthy, so too is the innovative, eye-catching bottle it’s housed in.
World Whiskey Society Straight Kentucky Bourbon Modern Bottle, aged 9 Years
World Whiskey Society Straight Kentucky Bourbon Modern Bottle World Whiskey Society

The newest expression from renowned brand World Whiskey Society is a 54% ABV Kentucky straight bourbon that was matured for a minimum of nine years in charred oak barrels before being bottled in an interesting, sleekly designed bottle that’s guaranteed to be your newest whiskey centerpiece and talking point.

Food & Drink

Does whiskey go bad? Here’s how to spot the signs

Finally learn how and why whiskey goes bad

Pouring a glass of whiskey

The craft of making whiskey (single malt Scotch whisky, bourbon, Irish whiskey, or any other type) is highly elaborate. It’s a time-consuming process of mashing grain, fermenting the mash, distilling the liquid, and then maturing it in wood barrels. The ingredients and method are different depending on the type of whiskey. But one thing is guaranteed with any whiskey distilled worldwide: it will be sold and stored in a bottle.

This brings us to one crucial question: Does whiskey go bad? In my more than two decades of writing about alcohol and sampling countless whiskeys, I have found that it definitely does. But there are a variety of causes, and they are usually created by the alcohol consumer and not the distiller.
Signs your whiskey has gone bad

Food & Drink

Why “smooth” is the most debated word in bourbon — and what it really means

How does a bourbon end up with a "smooth" flavor?

kentucky bourbon trail guide tours

There’s no descriptive term more divisive in the bourbon world than “smooth.” This is because, even though it’s a reasonably well-known whiskey term, it’s so vague, generic, and overused that drinkers shudder when someone uses it as a descriptor for the whiskey they just imbibed. That doesn’t stop people from using it, though.

In almost two decades of writing about alcohol (with a strong emphasis on whiskey), I’ve written countless tasting notes. While I try to avoid using the word, I can understand its appeal. We all have a notion of what it means when we see it. This brings us to one crucial question, though. While it’s a seemingly generic term, what exactly does “smooth” mean when it comes to bourbon? What makes a bourbon smooth?
What makes a bourbon smooth?