Elevating Luxury Travel and Japanese Whisky Experiences: UNTOLD JAPAN x dekantā Partnership
- Deylan Mackenzie
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
UNTOLD JAPAN, one of Japan's leading bespoke luxury travel agencies, and dekantā, a specialist retailer of fine and rare Japanese whisky, have formed a partnership that brings together two distinct but deeply complementary ways of experiencing Japan: through its whisky, and through its places, people, and culture.
The two companies first connected at an industry event last December, but it was inside one of Tokyo's most intimate whisky bars, a venue that Untold Japan has a close relationship with, that their partnership truly took shape. The kind of place that most people will never find. Which, as it turns out, is exactly what both companies are known for.
After the Untold Japan team brought dekantā into their world of finding hidden gems, it was dekanta’s turn to introduce Untold into theirs, which left the deepest impression. Both teams travelled to Kiyokawa Mountain Farm Distillery in Iiyama, Nagano, attending the distillery's inaugural single malt bottling event. Meeting the Master Distiller, witnessing the care behind every stage of production, and seeing how deeply personal the craft is gave the team a new understanding of what Japanese whisky truly represents.
As Joshua Lassman-Watts, Founder and CEO of Untold Japan reflects, "What struck me most was that richness, in the truest sense, isn't about extravagance. It's in the slow, patient care that goes into revealing the depth of Japan, and that's something we've always believed about travel."
Founded in 2015, dekantā has spent a decade building direct relationships with Japan's finest distilleries, establishing itself as one of the most trusted names in Japanese whisky globally. Through this partnership, Untold Japan will now introduce dekantā's exclusive cask ownership program to its guests, spanning revived legends like Karuizawa Whisky Distillery to innovative newcomers like Ontake and Kiyokawa Mountain Farm Distillery.
Cask ownership is a deeply personal journey that unfolds over years, not months. Clients are guided through every stage, from choosing a distillery and selecting the right cask to coordinating visits and overseeing maturation. Owners return year after year, meeting with master distillers, watching the color, aroma, and complexity of their whisky deepen with each passing season, before ultimately bottling their own private release. These are moments that no bottle on a shelf could ever replicate. As Makiyo, Founder of dekantā puts it, "This partnership is a natural extension of what both companies already do. It comes from a shared understanding that the most meaningful experiences in Japan aren't always the most obvious ones."
In return, dekantā clients gain access to Untold Japan's bespoke travel service, where every trip to Japan becomes something designed entirely around them. Built on years of genuine relationships across the country, Untold Japan opens doors that most travelers never knew existed, from private Geisha dining and exclusive sumo experiences to stays in some of Japan's most extraordinary private villas.
Both companies champion authenticity, craftsmanship, and the kind of service that leaves a lasting impression. dekantā does it through whisky. Untold Japan does it through travel. Together, they offer something neither could alone.
About dekantā
dekantā is a specialist retailer of fine and rare Japanese whisky, with one of the world's largest online selections. Its range spans exceptional collector bottles, small-batch and local releases from Japan's new wave of distilleries, as well as expressions from the country's most recognized names. In recent years, dekantā has also played a central role in the development of the Japanese whisky cask market. Through close partnerships with premium, emerging distilleries, dekantā has helped open up access to cask ownership internationally, establishing itself as a trusted and leading platform for sourcing and managing Japanese whisky casks.
About UNTOLD JAPAN
Untold Japan is a luxury travel company specializing in authentic, immersive journeys across Japan. Founded by two friends, one Japanese and one foreign, who wanted to share the country the way only locals could, its team of residents designs bespoke itineraries that go well beyond the expected, connecting travelers to Japan's hidden culture, people, and places.
Through partnerships with brands like JR Kyushu Tours and relationships with local governments and travel specialists across the country, Untold Japan continues to expand what it can offer, from exclusive access to the Seven Stars luxury sleeper train to journeys through remote regions like eastern Hokkaido. It's this network that allows the company to maintain a deeply bespoke standard, even as its reach grows.
Comments