The Wakatsuru Shozou Distillery is a bit of a hidden gem in the whisky world, with Sun Shine being the first whisky produced after the distillery gained its whisky license in 1952. Previously the distillery had focussed on sake production, but after the devastation of the Second World War and the rationing of rice, it decided to branch out into other spirit production. Since rice couldn’t be used, they grew Jerusalem artichokes on the riverbanks and distilled alcohol from that, before moving onto sochu and then whisky. Wakatsuru Sun Shine 20 Year Old got its name when the distillery asked the community for suggestions. The name “Sun Shine” was chosen to symbolize the Sun rising on a new era of peace and renewal in post-war Japan.