Akashi White Oak 3 Years Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky – IMO Sherry Cask Matured (500ml)

Akashi White Oak 3 Years Old Japanese Single Malt Whisky – IMO Sherry Cask Matured (500ml)

Volume: 500ml          ABV: 50%          Age: 3 Years Old         Country: Japan

White Oak Distillery was upgraded in 1984 and is located in Akashi, a city in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. It released its first single malt in late 2007 under the Akashi label. The distillery in owned by five breweries who came together to form this firm. They were very famous for making sake and were amongst the top ten in Japan. Their whisky making process is probably the oldest in Japan dating back to 1919 but there’s no real evidence other than the first licence to lay fact to this. The distillery grows its own yeast and uses this to produce alcohol with a fermentation time of around three to five days. The stills are small and angular and what’s strange is that the spirit safe or spirit still sits on the floor and this is where the low alcohol say 55% to 60% abv spirit is collected. They produce around 48,000 litres of spirit a year most of this being matured in 220 litre fresh ex-Bourbon American oak barrels which have been coopered in Japan.

There are other barrels of spirit maturing in the warehouse, refill American oak, old Sherry, rechared Shōchū casks, Cognac, tequila and the rarest of all some casks made from old native oak trees called konara.

This distillery is now dedicated to specialise in single malt and they are doing a fine job of this so far.

A very interesting whisky indeed which has been matured in ex Sherry casks, ex IMO (Shōchū) casks and ex whisky (ex Bourbon casks). Shōchū is a Japanese distilled beverage which is produced at 45% alcohol by volume. Usually distilled from rice, barley, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, or brown sugar, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as chestnut, sesame seeds, potatoes or even carrots. The Sherry casks were used to make sherry and then to mature Shōchū and then whisky. Akashi does not produce any type of potato Shōchū so it is unsure as to where the casks have come from to produce this whisky. The casks have produced a delicious whisky with soft sweetness which is slightly peaty and bitter but still clean and spicy.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Some dried dark fruits, toasted walnuts, sake, balsamic vinegar and capsicum.

Palate: Dried dark fruits if raisins, sultanas, figs and plums. Toasted nuts and soft spices, candied capsicum with vanilla and citrus.

Finish: Sherry, nutty, malty and oak.