Stephen Curry’s New Bourbon Is Heavily Influenced by Japan

(Photo: Gentleman’s Cut)

NBA superstar Stephen Curry’s whiskey brand, Gentleman’s Cut, is back with a new Player Exclusive bourbon, this time finished in Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. The 11-year Kentucky straight bourbon, named Shacho, is limited to 850 bottles and priced at $250.

The release is available through a 30-day reservation window on ReserveBar, with additional distribution planned through select retailers. Availability is expected to be limited.

The bourbon is bottled at 105 proof and is distilled from a mashbill of 78% corn, 13% rye and 9% malted barley. It was aged for 11 years before being finished in new Mizunara oak barrels sourced from Japan’s Hokkaido Prefecture.

“Leadership has always meant more to me than what happens on the court. It’s about the impact you have on the people around you and the legacy you leave behind,” Curry said. “When I discovered that in Japanese culture, the term is an esteemed word meaning ‘leader,’ it spoke to something I’ve always believed in–to lead with vision and humility. As someone who has taken inspiration from leaders from a variety of backgrounds, places and lanes that I respect, this Player Exclusive celebrates those milestones and is for everyone who has shown up, put in the work and made a difference as a leader in their own way.”

The release takes its name from “Shacho,” a Japanese term commonly used to refer to a company president or leader. According to the brand, the concept informed both the whiskey and its packaging.

Mizunara oak, a rare and slow-growing species, is used in limited quantities in global whiskey production. It has been used increasingly over the past few years in premium American whiskey releases, including expressions from Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barrell Craft Spirits, Starlight Distillery and Rabbit Hole.

Gentleman’s Cut is produced through a partnership between Curry’s Thirty Ink and Boone County Distilling Company. The broader lineup includes a core Kentucky straight bourbon aged between five and seven years.

The Shacho release is part of the brand’s Player Exclusive series, which focuses on limited runs tied to specific themes or milestones. Previous Player Exclusive releases have included a collaboration with chef José Andrés, a 4,000-day-old rye whiskey to celebrate Curry’s 4,000th career 3-pointer, a 16-year-old bourbon released to celebrate the careers of himself and his father, and a 15-year-old bourbon priced at an eye-watering $4,500.