Hokkaido
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky Risshun
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky RISSHUN (ē«ę„) is the 14th in the 24 Season Series.
"Risshun" is the beginning of the 24 seasons and the time when the longitude of the sun reaches 315 degrees, which is around February 4 on the solar calendar. It is the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. Since it is calculated based on the movement of the sun, it is cold enough to be called spring, but one can sense that the days are longer than at the winter solstice. Risshun and Setsubun are also closely related. The day before Risshun is Setsubun.
The key malt is "All Hokkaido Whisky". All Hokkaido whisky is distilled in Atsugishi using Hokkaido malt and aged in Hokkaido oak casks. It is the "most peaty" of the 24 Setsubiki series currently available. It is a product with high expectations for those who like Akkeshi whisky.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Condensed milk, Fermented butter, Whipped cream, Salt, Honey, Oven and fresh bread.
Taste: Peat, Citrus mix juice, Persimmon nuance in the back.
Finish: Black pepper, Citrus peel, Lemon-lime cider.
Akkeshi Blended Whisky Kokuu
Akkeshi Blended Whisky KOKUU (ē©éØ) is the 15th in the 24 Season Series.
The word ākokuuā comes from the phrase āhyakkokuhu harusameā (rain falls to moisten a hundred grains), and it is the perfect season for sowing seeds as the climate, which has been changing frequently, becomes stable. During this season, soft and warm rain falls, moistening the fields and nurturing the sprouts. Grain is also a seasonal word for spring.
The key malt is all Hokkaido Mizunara oak. This has become a staple of Akkeshi whisky. It is a traditional classic blend with a citrus-like aroma and deep sweetness typical of Akkeshi.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Brown sugar chinsuko, small hyuganatsu, simple shortcake with strawberries, cream and sponge.
Taste: Soft baked goods like madeleines and doll bakes, rich cacao ice cream, savory and sweet.
Finish: Smooth, sweet, spicy and savory with a long lingering finish and a slight bitterness exiting later.
Akkeshi Single Blended Whisky Toji
Akkeshi Single Blended Japanese Whisky āToujiā (å¬č³), the first bottle of the Nishi-Nibu ( äŗ č³äŗå) (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Solstice), which is positioned as a special bottle of the 24 Season Series, has been released by Akkeshi Distillery.
While it is a classical blend with a malt ratio of 51% or higher, the same as regular Akkeshi blended Whisky, the grain in āToujiā is made from grain Whisky produced at the Akkeshi distillery. This is the first single blended Japanese Whisky in Hokkaido. This is the 18th edition of Akkeshiās āSolar Term Seriesā. The series will come to an end in about coming two years.
This is the season when the daytime is the shortest of the year and the sun sets early, making us miss the sun. However, the days gradually lengthen after this day. In Japan, eating kabocha (pumpkin) and bathing in yuzu (citron) baths are well-known customs. It is also a day to celebrate the end of the year and the shortness of the days, and to celebrate the new year and the rebirth of the sun by eating foods with āNā, which is taken from the end of the hiragana alphabet.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Freshly baked melon bread, orange squash, geranium, hot honey lemon.
Taste: Orange rum, green tea maritotozzo, umami broth, salted cookie.
Finish: Sourness comes first, followed by savory, sweet and spicy lingering taste.
Mars Malt Duo – Tsunuki x Akkeshi
In 2016, the Mars Tsunuki Distillery and the Akkeshi Distillery began distilling whisky in the contrasting regions of Kagoshima and Hokkaido, respectively. In 2018, these two distinct distilleries, each influenced by their distinct climates and environments, exchanged malt new spirits before aging them in their respective locations. This bottle contains a blended malt Japanese whisky made by vatting two different types of malt whisky, āTSUNUKIā and āAKKESHI,ā both aged at Mars Tsunuki Distillery. We invite you to enjoy the collaboration between TSUNUKI and AKKESHI, where the pot stills were lit simultaneously in distant locations.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Well-balanced bright and vibrant aroma of yellow fruits, and sweet and rich aroma reminiscent of custard and pancakes.
Palate: Freshness and slight bitterness of lemon peel. Herbal and refreshing, rich in juicy fresh fruit.
Finish: A gentle mineral note leads to a smooth long finish.
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky Shousho
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky SHOUSHO (å°ę) is the 16th installment of the 24 Season Series, and every time we taste this one, which is released every three months, we are reminded of the speed of time and the progress of the distillery.
This time the calendar is āLittle Summer Heat. The cicadas begin to sing, the āsummer solsticeā has passed, but the sun is still long, and the rainy season is over and it begins to get really hot. The whisky is aged in Hokkaido Mizunara oak barrels, bringing out the flavor of Akkeshi Whisky.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Banana juice, bacon and egg galette, cured ham and melon.
Taste: Tide and golden sugar, lime-like citrus, gingerbread, white pepper.
Finish: Refreshing peat and saltiness on the nose, complex sweetness and acidity linger on the palate.
Akkeshi Blended Whisky Shosetsu
Akkeshi Blended Whisky SHOSETSU (å°éŖ) is the 13rd in the 24 Season Series.
"Shosetsu" refers to the time of year when the sunlight weakens, autumn leaves begin to fall, and snow begins to fall on the mountains and other areas. Full-blown winter is just around the corner, and the cold gradually becomes more severe. It is necessary to be prepared for winter. This is considered a guideline for preparing for the end of the year.
The golden leaves of the deciduous pine trees in the mountains are about to fall. The pure white whooper swans that fly to Lake Akkeshi invite the first snowfall. The end of the year is filled with smiles as people warm themselves with a glass of peatcovered whisky from Akkeshi.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Potapota-yaki (senbei rice cracker), honey lemon, raisin
Taste: Smoke, citrus-like acidity and sweetness
Finish: Poivre rosƩ, orange sauce, salted lemon
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky Hakuro
Akkeshi Single Malt Whisky HAKURO (ē½é²)Ā is the 12th in the 24 Season Series.
"Hakuro" is the 15th day of the 24 solar terms, and is the third of the three seasons representing autumn in Japan. Although the lingering summer heat is still lingering during the daytime, it is the time when signs of autumn can be felt in the mornings and evenings, and autumnal delicacies such as saury and grapes come into season.
Aged for more than 3 years in Hokkaido oak barrels, etc., with some of the original barley made from barley produced in Hokkaido. The aroma is characterized by a slightly smoky peat aroma that is different from the peatiness of previous Atsukishi wines. The oriental aroma peculiar to Mizunara oak is gradually coming to the surface. Although the smokiness is emphasized in the aroma, the taste is not so smoky, but rather bitter with a slight sweetness of citrus peel that gradually emerges.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Bonfire, Japanese citrus, Custard Pudding, Marmalade
Taste: Tangerine-ginger, Orange-flavored ramune
Finish: White pepper, Salted lemon, Citrus-like sweetness and peeliness