Direct (Whisky) and to the point…
It’s amazing the depth and breadth of the Australian Whisky scene these days, including the retail options we have access to, both off and online — we are literally spoilt for choice when it comes to sourcing the next bottle or two (or three….) of our favourite tipples.
Thanks to retailers like Whisky Direct we even have access to whiskies not normally available outside Japan (or in some cases the local prefecture, city, or distillery cellar door!). With the amount of attention Japanese whisky is garnering these days its amazing any makes it to our shores at all.
One of the lesser know and sadly, often times overlooked distilleries in Japan — which Whisky Direct have invested a lot of effort and energy into sourcing for us here in Australia, is the White Oak Whisky Distillery.
The White Oak Whisky Distillery has a long and rich history of brewing and distilling, stretching all the way back to 1679 during the Edo period.
In 1679 the family who would later go on to found the White Oak whisky distillery decided to settle in the area which would eventually become the city of Akashi (translated as ‘Sunrise City’)in Hyōgo Prefecture which is approximately 45 minutes west of Kōbe, facing the Seto Inland Sea.
Five generations after settling in the area the family added a sake brewery and shochu distillery (created via the merging of five existing local sake breweries) and gaining a licence to produce under the name Eigashima Shuzo in 1888.
An expansion in the range of alcohols that could legally be produced by Eigashima was sought and procured in 1919, allowing for the company to make wine, brandy and whisky in addition to its existing business of brewing sake and distilling shochu. Early efforts on the whisky front seem to mainly consist of importing, blending and ageing whiskies and new make from Scotland and were very limited in scope but interestingly means Eigashima where technically the first whisky producers in Japan, prior to both Suntory and Nikka.
Whisky production was taken more seriously by Eigashima and began in scale during the 1960’s, due to an increase in whisky popularity following World War II. Distillation of whisky made economical sense as well as traditionally sake is brewed during the winter months leaving idle workers and equipment over the summer months. Whisky distillation was seen as a logical step to supplement business and provide a long life, shelf stable product which could be made during the ‘quieter’ months of the year.
In 1984 Eigashima Shuzo built a new, larger and more efficient whisky distillery — The White Oak Whisky Distillery — which undoubtedly was influenced by the ‘ji-uisukii (local whisky boom in early 1980’s Japan). Whisky distillation seems to have been year round from around 1984 until the early 2000’s when operations were scaled back to the earlier seasonal approach where whisky is distilled from April to July, a regime which endures until this very day. This allows the brewers and distillers to make sake during the colder winter months and distil whisky during the warmer summer months when brewing is less feasible due to the high ambient temperatures.
Due to the limited production of local spirit and the explosion in the demand for, and popularity of Japanese whisky, White Oak primarily produce blended whiskies. Single malts are rarer and thus harder to find, but to us often seem worth the extra fuss.
White Oak Akashi 14
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 56% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
This particular release was distilled in July 1997 and has been aged for 12 years in ex Spanish brandy casks, 18 months in sherry casks and a further six months in French white wine casks. The Spanish brandy casks are over 20 years old and have never been reconditioned and are still in use today to age various malts at the distillery. 650 bottles in this release, 60 of which made it to our shores. Non-chill filtered, no colouring added.
Find it here!
White Oak Akashi 12
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 50% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
Again distilled in July 1997 and aged for 12 years in older Spanish brandy casks but without the extra time in sherry and French white wine like the 14 year old. 2000 bottles worldwide. Again non-chill filtered, no colouring added.
Find it here!
White Oak Akashi 5 Cognac
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 55% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
Not every day we see Japanese Single Malts bottled at 55%, even less often do they carry an age statement (5 years in this case), and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen an example that has been 100% matured in ex-Limousin (French oak) Cognac casks.
Find it here!
White Oak Akashi 5 Bourbon
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 50% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
Fascinating in that it’s a self confessed 100% Bourbon barrel matured, Japanese single malt, having seen the inside of an ex-american oak bourbon cask for the entirety of its maturation before being bottled at 50% (again rare to see many Japanese releases above 46%).
Find it here!
White Oak Akashi Single Malt
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 46% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
The only NAS (no age statement) whisky in the list today. Originally released in 2012 from a blend of 7, 5 and 4 year old malts from 3 different cask types. 4,500 bottles made, Non-chill filtered, no colouring added.
Find it here!
White Oak Akashi 10 Sherry Butt 5164
Japanese Single Malt Whisky
500ml, 60% ABV
Owner: Eigashima Shuzo
Something which is almost unheard of these days are single cask Japanese Single Malts — here we have a 10 year old Single Malt, distilled at White Oak and aged for 10 years in a single sherry butt which yielded 699 bottles — to say I am keen to try this would be a massive understatement!
Find it here!
Cheers,
The Whisky List
In partnership with Whisky Direct
