Frank August Case Study 1 Mizunara Oak Cask

Frank August Case Study: 01 is the distillery’s first experimental release — a small-batch Kentucky straight bourbon finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak. Mizunara is notoriously porous and difficult to work with, so the team blended just five barrels and tested them roughly every 30 days to track how the wood was shaping the spirit. The result is a strictly limited bottling of fewer than 1,000 bottles.

Bottled at 114.4 proof (57.2% ABV), it pours a rich amber with slow, clinging legs. The nose opens on butterscotch before mild rye spice steps forward. On the palate, that warm butterscotch hits first, then moves through apple and gentle baking spice toward hints of mint and pepper, with caramel returning on a long, evolving finish. It’s full-strength but remarkably smooth, with the Mizunara adding a distinctive layer you won’t find in a standard bourbon.

This is a bottle built for sipping and for the collection. Pour it neat in a Glencairn to let the Japanese oak character unfold, add a single large cube if you prefer to open it up, and pair it with dark chocolate or aged cheese for a standout after-dinner dram.