Single Malt Akashi 4 Years Old Distillery Exploration, characteristics, price, and how to buy.
1. What is the Eigashima Shuzo?
A sake brewery that has been in business since the Meiji Era. Completed construction of a whisky distillery next to the head office in 1984. Released the local whisky “White Oak Akashi”.
Currently, they continue to release single malt and blended malt with other distilleries as whisky “Akashi”.
| Establishment | May 1888 |
| Head Office Location | 919 Nishijima, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo 674-0065, Japan |
| Owned distilleries | Eigashima Distillery (Former White Oak Distillery) |
2. Eigashima Distillery
| Location | 919 Nishijima, Okubo-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo 674-0065, Japan |
| Commencement of operations | 1919 |
1891 Shochu cellar “Niban-kura” completed *Later becomes whisky cellar
1919 Whisky license obtained and distillery established
”White Oak” local whisky is released in the same year
1984 New distillery completed
2007 First single malt whisky “Akashi” 8 years old is released
2019 Name changed from White Oak Distillery to Eigashima Distillery
Two pot stills are replaced with new ones made by Miyake Seisakusho
2020 Release of high-priced “Eigashima” brand
Akashi is made at the White Oak Distillery in Eigashima, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture.
The distillery is now renamed Eigashima Distillery, and the reason for this is to make it easier for foreign tourists to understand.
A small fishing village, Eigashima enjoys a pleasant year-round climate and benefits from a mild maritime climate right on the Akashi Strait, an inland sea.
The license to produce whisky and wine was obtained in 1919.
The first whisky distillation in Japan took place at the Yamazaki Distillery in 1923, but it was the Eigashima Distillery (formerly White Oak Distillery) in 1919 that received the first patent for whisky distillation in Japan.
The year 1919 was when Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky, went to Scotland to study whisky distilling.
It is surprising that the White Oak Distillery existed at an early stage.
However, although a patent was obtained, the correct whisky-making process was not handed down, and it is said that what was being made at the time was imitation whisky that imitated whisky.
Reference: Eigashima Distillery official website
For information on Eigashima Distillery, please see also here.↓
3. Pictures of the bottles and the website where they can be purchased
Single Malt Akashi 2019 4 years old 61% Bourbon Barrel OB for J’s Bar Distillery Exploration Maltoyama 10th Anniversary
Single Malt Akashi 2019 4 years old 61% Bourbon Barrel OB for J’s Bar Distillery Exploration Maltoyama 10th Anniversary
4. Characteristics
Aged 4 years in bourbon barrels
Malt distilled at Eigashima Distillery and stored in bourbon casks for 4 years.
This is the 8th commemorative bottle for the 10th anniversary of the single malt whisky mail order specialty store Maltoyama. The distillery was selected and bottled by Hajime Hasumura, the master of J’s Bar in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
This is the fourth in his series of distillery visits.
4-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Sweet, full aroma of banana and honey, floury doughnuts, lemon citrus syrup |
| Taste | Honey sweetness, woody astringency and bitterness, and lemon-like acidity are well balanced |
| Aftertaste | Pepper-like spice, followed by a gentle sweetness that lingers for a long time |
4-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol content | 61% |
| Distinction by alcohol | Single Malt (Cask No. #101963) |
| Cask type | Bourbon casks |
| Content by volume | 500ml |
| Number of units sold | 286 bottles |
| Suggested retail price | 10,890 yen (including tax) |
| Date of release | October 2023 |
5. Awards received
No awards have been received at this time.
6. Price
6-1. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price
| Product Name | Single Malt Akashi 2019 4 years old 61% Bourbon Barrel OB for J’s Bar Distillery Exploration Maltoyama 10th Anniversary |
| Capacity | 500ml |
| Suggested retail price | 10,890 yen (tax included) |
6-2. Resale prices on Mercari
There are no confirmed resales on Mercari at this time. (*As of October 24, 2023)
6-3. Yahoo Auction Sold Price
Sold price on Yahoo! Auctions has not been confirmed at this time. (*As of October 24, 2023)
6-4. Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Amazon
No sales have been confirmed on the mail-order website. (*As of October 24, 2023)
6-5. Prices offered at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai” operated by this site, we offer it in small quantities such as 1 glass, 45ml: 3,960 yen 30ml: 2,640 yen, 15ml: 1,320 yen.
7. Summary
Eigashima Distillery has been gaining increasing recognition in recent years.
The release of the distillery’s commemorative 10th anniversary bottle as a distillery of Maltoyama, a well-known name in the whisky mail-order industry, is expected to draw even more attention.
It will also be interesting to see if this bourbon barrel will become a standard flavor for Akashi in the future.
Please take a look at our other articles on “Akashi”.
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
