Barrel 1000

When we filled our first barrel in 2015, we had no idea where it would lead. Ten years later, we are bottling barrel #1000. It represents more than a number. It marks time, patience, and thousands of small decisions made along the way.

To understand what this moment means to us, it helps to go back to the beginning. To barrel #1. A lot has changed since then. And at the same time, very little has. We started with a single question: can we make soy sauce? And it’s that same question that we ask ourselves daily.

However, ten years later, we have many more questions than we did back then. The more we learn, the more we understand how little we actually know. We thought making soy sauce would eventually lead to answers. Instead, it mostly led to better questions. Fortunately, that keeps things interesting.

What has stayed the same is everything underneath it. Quality. Curiosity. A hands-on mentality. The habit of asking questions and wanting to understand things for ourselves. No barrel has ever been exactly the same. Yet every barrel that led to this moment received the same attention. Giving time, nature and craftsmanship the space they need has always been the starting point.

That goes beyond fermentation alone. From growing our own soybeans and wheat to selecting the barrels and people we work with, we keep questioning our choices and looking for ways to improve. Which is probably why we're convinced the best is still ahead of us. The same applies to the barrels themselves. Over the years, we have sourced former whiskey barrels from Scotland, Kentucky and, more recently, Europe, always chosen through personal relationships and for their quality. The barrel matters. That is why each bottle in this release includes a small piece of barrel #1000.

This release is therefore not about volume. It is simply a moment to acknowledge the journey so far. Behind these thousand barrels are countless interactions with the product and the people around it. Farmers, chefs, customers, colleagues, journalists, soy sauce enthusiasts, friends and many others who became part of the story along the way.

A barrel of soy sauce may seem simple enough. In reality, it depends on soil, seasons, microorganisms, patience, and a surprising number of small decisions. None of it happens in isolation.

To mark this milestone, we are releasing a one-time edition of 200 bottles. Each 500ml bottle is filled with our original soy sauce. Not a celebration of scale, but of curiosity, craftsmanship, and everyone who helped bring us here.

A milestone, certainly. But mostly a reminder that there is still plenty left to learn.

Enjoy.