Mizunara Is All the Rage in High-End Hooch. But Is It Worth It?

The buzzword in booze these days is “mizunara.” Over the past decade the rare species of old-growth Japanese oak has become prized for the unique, delicate notes of sandalwood and incense it imparts to spirits during aging—and the high prices those products can demand.

Mizunara casks were developed out of necessity during World War II, when the supply of European oak was cut off to the Far East. Although terribly unsuited to cooperage, the wood produced enviable results. Today you’ll find all sorts of spirits beyond high-end Asian whisky flaunting mizunara bona fides: a $50 Minoki rum, a $350 Angel’s Envy bourbon that flew off shelves in 2020, a $1,000 Ki Noh Bi mizunara-finished gin. Courvoisier is the latest to tap the trend with a just-released limited-edition XO cognac retailing at $2,000 a bottle.