Ohishi 11 Year Old Sherry Cask

A dleicate, light, and satisfying Rice Whisky from Japan with a complex profile born of snowmelt.

If you look for the Ohishi Distillery on a map you’ll have a bit of trouble. That’s because this idyllic craft facility has been a Shochu Brewery from five generations, since 1872. But a generation or two ago they started aging their Shochu in premium casks to create southwestern Japan’s favorite Whiskey. And the location is important. It sits in the small village of Mizukami near the headwaters of the Kuma River. This is where they get the remarkably pure water that you can taste in all of their products.

Ohishi 11 Year Old Sherry Cask begins with their signature rice Spirit. It is exceptionally unique to the Ohishi Distillery because it is comprised of five estate-grown varieties — Gin no Sato, Hino Hikari, Mori no Kuma-san, Yamada Nishiki, and the remarkably difficult to pronounce Gohyakumanishi. The Spirit is aged for eleven years in ex-Sherry casks and bottled at 41% ABV. Interestingly, the Japanese Kanji script on the front of the bottles translates as "Go Japan" and is meant to celebrate their culture. And as a limited edition, there will only be 888 total bottles available.

Smartass Corner:
In many East Asian countries, the number eight is a lucky number. Producing exactly "888" bottles of this rare dram has deep cultural meaning.