Akkeshi Distillery's "New Born Foundations 4 Malt & Grain," released in July 2019, is the fourth and final installment in the distillery's early New Born experimental series. What makes this whisky truly special is that it is Akkeshi Distillery's first prototype blended whisky.
Wine Profile
- Origin: Hokkaido, Japan
- Bottling Year: July 2019
- ABV: 48%
- Volume: 200 ml
- Cabin Type: Primarily aged in **Sherry Casks** and other specialty oak barrels
- Aging Time: 13 to 30 months
Craftsmanship and Ingredients
- The distillery's first blended attempt: Malt whisky comprises over 60%. The malt spirit is entirely distilled and aged in-house single malt in Atsushi; the grain spirit is made by aging imported Scotch new grain spirit in oak barrels entirely in the local Atsushi climate.
- Local Hokkaido Terroir: Over 5% of the malt spirit uses locally grown Ryofu barley malt from Hokkaido, and over half of the malt spirit is aged in carefully selected sherry casks.
Flavor Notes
- Aroma: Sweet notes of citrus, Satsuma mandarin, raisins, banana, and maple syrup; some collectors may also detect subtle peat smoke and strawberry chocolate notes.
- Palmistry: Raisin cream, citrus marmalade, with a hint of Atsushi's signature sea breeze saltiness (like salted caramel).
- Finish: A subtle spiciness of white pepper, accompanied by the bittersweet flavors of dark chocolate.
