Rogue Ales & Spirits and Iron Chef Morimoto Release Limited-Edition Whiskey

Rogue Ales & Spirits in Newport, Oregon has announced a new collaboration with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. This continues the collaboration between the two, who have worked on multiple projects since 2003. Full details on this whiskey are below.

NEWPORT, Ore. (August 4, 2020) — Rogue Ales & Spirits and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, who have collaborated on various projects since 2003, continue their partnership with the release of a limited-edition Morimoto Single Malt Whiskey. 

This limited-edition whiskey started at the Rogue brewery in Newport, Oregon in 2016 as Morimoto Imperial Pilsner and Morimoto Black Obi Ale. After fermentation, the wash was transferred from the Rogue brewery to the distillery to be distilled and barreled in American Oak barrels. The barrels rested in Rogue’s Ocean Aging Room where they absorbed the Pacific Ocean air for over two years before being transferred for finishing in Oregon Oak. The Oregon Oak barrels were built by hand at Rogue’s cooperage, Rolling Thunder Barrel Works, and previously aged Rogue’s award-winning Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout. A year and a half later, the barrels were masterfully blended and smithed to create a unique, bold and limited American Single Malt Whiskey.

This hand-crafted single malt whiskey provides spicy aromas on the nose with subtle smoke and hints of coffee, chocolate, cocoa and dried fruit. On the palate, the prominent soba nut flavor melds with the distinct dark cocoa, toffee, coffee and vanilla provided from the Imperial Stout and subtle smoke from the Rolling Thunder barrels. To complete this bottle, it features a label that was designed by Chef Morimoto himself.

“It has been an honor to work with Chef Morimoto for nearly 20 years to make unique and interesting beers and spirits,” says Dharma Tamm, Rogue President. “This new single malt whiskey is no exception - the combination of Morimoto Signature Imperial Pilsner and Black Obi, Rolling Thunder barrels and distiller selected proof make this something truly special. It has been a labor of love that we’ve spent years making.”

“My relationship with Rogue Ales & Spirits goes back nearly two decades and is the longest partnership of my career,” said Chef Morimoto.  “The Morimoto-branded beers have been guest favorites in my restaurants around the world, and I’m very excited to introduce this very special single malt whiskey to them this year.”

Morimoto Single Malt Whiskey is 85 proof and will be available for sale at Morimoto restaurants, Rogue pubs and retailers around the country. For more information, visit rogue.com.

About Rogue Ales & Spirits 

Rogue Ales & Spirits, the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States, was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 2,000 awards for taste, quality and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Oregon soil, Rogue’s beers, spirits and sodas are made with ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in Independence, Oregon. Rogue Spirits are hand-distilled on a 550-gallon still in Newport, Oregon, aged in the thick ocean air of the Yaquina Bay and bottled by hand. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to sharing the terroir of Oregon hops, honey, cucumbers and pumpkins one acre at a time by growing its own.

About Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto

Chef Masaharu Morimoto — known to millions as the star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America — has garnered critical and popular acclaim for his seamless integration of Western and Japanese ingredients.  Since 1998, Morimoto has competed on the Japanese television show, Iron Chef and also appeared on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. In 2001, Chef Morimoto opened his first restaurant in Philadelphia, which was later followed by restaurants in New York, Napa, Honolulu, Boca Raton, Mumbai, Mexico City, Tokyo and Maui.  Morimoto Asia Orlando at Disney Springs opened in 2015, followed by Momosan Ramen and Sake NYC and Morimoto Las Vegas at MGM Grand in 2016.  Morimoto Asia Waikiki, Momosan Waikiki, and Morimoto Doha opened in 2018 and Momosan Seattle opened in 2019.  Chef Morimoto currently has 15 restaurants around the world. His first cookbook, Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking (2007), won two IACP awards (in the “Chef’s and Restaurants” category and the “First Book: The Julia Child Award") and it was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award. His second cookbook, Mastering The Art of Japanese Cooking (2017), introduces readers to the healthy, flavorful, surprisingly simple dishes favored by Japanese home cooks. Follow Chef Morimoto via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or www.ironchefmorimoto.com.