“Uonuma,” a single-grain rice whisky produced by Hakkai Jozo. The 2026 Limited Edition is aged in the company’s own rice shochu barrels.
Hakkai Jozo, famous for its sake “Hakkaisan,” currently operates two distilleries: the Fukasawahara Distillery in Niigata and the Niseko Distillery in Hokkaido.
At the Fukasawahara Distillery, they produce whisky using rice and malt (※in accordance with the definition of Japanese whisky, which includes malt), but the ratio of rice is higher, making it a whisky that is truly unique to Japan.
1. Photos of the bottle and label
Single Grain Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky 2026 Limited
Single Grain Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky 2026 Limited
2. Single Grain Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky 2026 Limited
A distinctive rice grain whisky made primarily from rice.
It is produced using “Raiden-sama’s Clear Water”—which delivers the pure flavor we seek—as the mash water, along with sake yeast. This rare whisky, virtually unparalleled worldwide, is crafted by slowly aging for 8 years only the base spirit produced through our unique pursuit of traditional whisky-making methods.
For the 2026 LIMITED edition, we used barrels previously holding “Hakkaisan Honkaku Rice Shochu, Oak Barrel-Aged, Wind-Pollinated Flower.” The result is a whisky with a gentle harmony and a calm, lingering finish.
- Tasting Notes
- Color: Bright amber
- Aroma: An elegant, soft aroma of honey and brown sugar, following notes of ripe citrus
- Taste: Gentle sweetness derived from rice, a rich, marmalade-like flavor, and a harmonious balance of pleasant acidity and astringency
Source: Hakkaisan Single Grain Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky 2026 LIMITED | Hakkaisan
2-1. Tasting Notes
| Aroma | Marmalade jam, orange peel candies, vanilla wafers |
| Taste | Palate Light sweetness, ginger honey, subtle rice aroma |
| Finish | Vanilla-like woodiness and a lingering aroma reminiscent of dry sake |
2-2. Product Specifications
| Alcohol Content | 52% |
| Category | Single Malt Japanese whisky |
| Cask Type | Barrels previously used to age the authentic rice shochu “Wind-pollinated flowers” aged in oak barrels |
| Volume | 700 ml |
| Number of Bottles Sold | Unknown |
| Suggested Retail Price | 13,200 yen (tax included) |
| Release Date | August 2026 |
3. Awards
No awards have been received to date.
4. List Price and Online Prices
4-1. Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price
| Product Name | Single Grain Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky 2026 LIMITED |
| Volume | 700 ml |
| Suggested Retail Price | 13,200 yen (tax included) |
4-2. Resale Price on Mercari
We were unable to confirm the resale price on Mercari at this time. (*As of August 12, 2026)
4-3. Winning Bid Price on Yahoo! Auctions
We were unable to confirm the price on Yahoo! Auctions at this time. ( As of August 12, 2026)
4-4. Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, and Amazon
We were unable to confirm sales on online retailers such as Amazon. (As of August 12, 2026)
4-5. Prices at BAR Shinkai
At “BAR Shinkai,” operated by this website, we offer even small portions, such as45 ml for 3,630 yen, 30 ml for 2,420 yen, and 15 ml for 1,210 yen.
5. Hakkai Jozo, Fukasawahara Distillery
Located within “Uonuma no Sato,” a leisure facility featuring various restaurants, museums, and cafes, the Fukasawahara Distillery is operated by Hakkai Jozo, known for its “Hakkai-san” sake.
In 2005, the facility began producing shochu as “Fukasawahara Kura,” its predecessor, and in April 2016, it obtained a whisky production license. Since then, it has continued to produce grain whisky made from rice.
The company also operates the Niseko Distillery, making it one of the few distillers—even among the growing number of craft distilleries in recent years—to own two distilleries.
The distillery began producing rice whisky in 2016, using “Raiden-sama’s Clear Water”as its mash water to achieve a pure flavor, and benefits from an environment unique to a sake brewery that utilizes sake yeast.
Although production volumes are low and releases are limited, the 8-year-aged rice whisky boasts a level of perfection unmatched by any other. In the future, we can also look forward to blended whiskys featuring Niseko Single Malt.
 |
 |
 |
| Address | 343-9 Nagamori, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture 949-7112 |
| Access to the Distillery | 10-minute taxi ride from Itsukamachi Station on the JR Joetsu Line |
| Established | 2005 |
| Official Website | Uonuma no Sato |
| Tours |
No tours available |
Please also see here for information on Hakkai Jozo
6. Summary
Uonuma 8-Year-Old Rice Whisky is a bottle that fuses Japanese sake-brewing techniques with whisky culture.
Created through fermentation and distillation using sake yeast, followed by eight years of aging, its flavor beautifully harmonizes the delicate sweetness unique to rice with the aroma derived from the barrels.
While last year’s batch featured more pronounced spicy notes, this year’s version is much smoother—with a finish that makes its 52% ABV completely unnoticeable.
In the future, we may not see many releases in the “rice whisky” category in Japan.
Furthermore, production volumes of [Uonuma] are low, and it is available only as a limited release.
However, it’s safe to say that this 8-year-aged rice whisky boasts a level of perfection that is second to none.
There is also great anticipation for the blended whisky with Niseko single malt, which is likely planned for the future.
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
ポチップ
(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.
ポチップ
