Written by Mika Tanimoto, Owner-Bartender, Bar Little Happiness — Hiroshima’s specialist whisky & rum bar with 1,000+ bottles
When Saburomaru Distillery released VII THE CHARIOT in November 2025, it was already extraordinary: a Japanese single malt at 80 PPM phenol level — approximately 1.5 times the peat intensity of Ardbeg — using Highland peat. The tarot series had reached the card of the Chariot: will, momentum, forward force.
VIII STRENGTH, released in 2026, uses the same 80 PPM phenol level. But the peat is from Islay.
Same number. Completely different world.
What Changes When You Change the Peat
Peat is not a uniform material. It is formed from the decomposition of specific plants in specific environments over centuries. Highland peat, cut from inland bogs, has a dry, heathery, slightly earthy character — angular and forceful. Islay peat, cut from coastal bogs, carries the marine environment with it: seaweed, salt, iodine, a softer but more enveloping quality.
At 80 PPM, the difference between these two peat sources is not subtle. It is the difference between the Chariot’s “hooves on dry ground” and STRENGTH’s “waves on the shore” — to use the distillery’s own imagery.
Saburomaru describes the STRENGTH Islay peat as particularly precious: the island’s peat is subject to strict environmental regulations, and acquiring Islay malt requires the kind of persistent negotiation and relationship-building that aligns, appropriately, with the tarot card’s keywords: sincerity and perseverance.
The Tarot Series Continues
Saburomaru’s tarot series began in 2020 with 0: THE FOOL — the card of new beginnings, chosen deliberately for the distillery’s restart after years of silence. VIII STRENGTH is the ninth release in the series. Inagaki-san has confirmed that the artwork for all remaining cards already exists, waiting for the spirit that will complete each one.
Tasting notes for VIII STRENGTH: On the nose, soft Islay smoke with macadamia nut, wax, and vanilla. On the palate, smooth and vivid, with sweet caramel balanced against a soft but present smoke and a hint of grapefruit bitterness. Lingering and complex.
Saburomaru VIII STRENGTH is available at Bar Little Happiness. Read the full Japanese column: little-happiness.jp/columns/saburomaru-8-strength-islay-peat/
Bar Little Happiness | Hiroshima, Japan
Rum & Whisky specialists | 1,000+ bottles | English menu available
Open Mon–Sat 7PM–12:30AM, Sun 7PM–midnight
No cover charge. Walk-ins welcome.
english.little-happiness.jp