Akashi Sherry Cask Finish

The Akashi Sherry Cask Finish is a blended whisky made from a combination of malt whisky (malted barley) and grain whisky (usually corn or wheat based). It was produced at the Eigashima Distillery, which is also known as the White Oak Distillery. Both the distillery's own distillates and bought-in components are used, whereby the in-house malt component usually remains dominant. The basic maturation takes place in ex-bourbon casks made from American oak. For the finish, the whisky is matured for several months in ex-sherry casks - usually in Oloroso or Pedro Ximénez casks, which are stored in the distillery's cool, maritime warehouses not far from the Seto Inland Sea. The sherry cask finish gives the blend additional depth and flavours of dried fruit, sultanas, almonds and a slight sweetness, without masking the fruity lightness and vanilla notes of the bourbon cask maturation. The distillery is located in the town of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture and was founded in 1888. This makes it one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Japan, which has been producing whisky since 1919. The focus is on traditional craftsmanship and a limited annual production.