Ohishi Single Sherry Cask Whisky – A K&L Direct Import Feature

While the quality of Japanese whisky has never been a secret amongst our colleagues and customers, the popularity of the genre has skyrocketed over the past few years thanks to some major awards and accolades from some of the industry’s biggest publications. What was once a niche market has become the obsession of the entire world, which has been great for Japan’s whisky industry, but not so great for fans of the spirit. Not only are the shelves rather bare here at K&L, we’ve heard reports that even Tokyo is sold out of major labels like Yamazaki, Hibiki, and Nikka, leaving even the most dedicated whisky tourists in the lurch. But we know that our customer depend on us to find the latest, greatest, newest, and most exciting spirits in the world, which is why we recently set our sights on finding more Japanese whisky and-the good news is-we think we’ve found the next big thing. We tried an experiment a few months ago, buying a single cask of pot-distilled rice whisky from a distillery named Fukano. It was so soft and mellow, very much like classic, delicately-flavored Japanese whisky and we snagged all that we could immediately. While we thought the whisky was fabulous, we weren’t sure how the market would react to rice whisky, so we sent out a small promotional email to some of our most-rabid whisky customers to test the waters. Many people were skeptical when they first noticed that we were selling malted rice whisky. Some assumed it was nothing more than glorified Shochu. It is indeed made in a very similar process, but the product qualifies as neither Shochu nor whisky in Japan, but it does fit the definition of whisky in the United States, which is why it can only be sold here. The results of that offer were off the charts. Not only did we sell through every single bottle that day, our customers sent us endless emails requesting MORE, MORE, MORE! So we went back to our source to find more and the second time around we found an even more impressive rice whisky specimen from a distillery called Ohishi, located in the foothill Mountains of Kumamoto near the small village of Mizukami-the source of the Kuma River, one of Japan’s fastest flowing. Tragically the island of Kyushu, where both Fukano and Ohishi are positioned, was recently hit by a massive earthquake and the region’s infrastructure was devastated. While thank goodness no one at either distillery was harmed, It will take quite a while for the roadways to be completely repaired, so we’re not sure if and when we’ll ever get another cask like this. It may be that our next great discovery is a one-time affair and that would be unfortunate, but it’s a reminder to enjoy life’s great pleasures while they’re available. We think this latest cask of Ohishi sherry-aged rice whisky definitely qualifies. -David Driscoll & David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyers

Ohishi K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Cask #653 Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($74.99)

The special Ohishi distillery is located on the banks of the Kuma River one Japan’s fastest flowing rivers. The distillery was founded in 1872 and produces some of the most exciting whisky coming out of Japan. Ohishi grows at least 30% of the rice that they distill and thanks to the fertile soils and exceptional growing climate make for some of the finest base ingredients available. The strain of rice is call “gohyakumanishi” (meaning 5 million stones) and utilizes an organic method of cultivation which requires the use of koi carp for weed control. The rest of the grain is procured from local farms in Kumamoto prefecture and is of the short grained Mochi varietal. The grains are partially malted and then distilled on the traditional Japanese stills before being filled into ex-sherry and brandy casks and aged for long periods of time in the high altitude warehouses. This cask brings in a great balanced sherry influence and definitely feels more like Scotch than our single cask from the Fukano Distillery. This cask will likely be the only one we get for a while considering the recent events in Kumamoto prefecture. Our cask of Fukano sold out in a flash, so we can expect this special cask to go very quickly as well.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 07, 2016

Wowee wow. A slam dunk sherry-aged whisky for those who like that pure sherry flavor. Because the Ohishi is distilled from rice you obviously lose the inherent maltiness normally present from a barley-distilled single malt whisky, but what you get instead is a cleaner canvas onto which the sherry itself can paint its masterpiece. This is soft, supple, and rich on the palate with loads of that caramel, fudge, chocolate, and rancio character I associate with whiskies like Glendronach or Glenfarclas, but with more of that Glenmorangie or Macallan finesse. If you like sherry-aged whisky, this is a must buy. If you like Japanese whisky, buy six of these. You’ll be sorry when it’s gone, and seeing as this is a single cask, it will likely be gone very fast.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 09, 2016

For the many who missed out on our last round of K&L exclusive Japanese whiskey, and those who snagged a bottle and already regret not buying another, here is a new one for you. Richer and more full bodied than the Fukano due to the sherry casks, this whiskey delivers like a beautiful marriage between amazing Highland distilleries. Toasted vanilla and caramel play on the rich toffee notes that are present. Despite the richness, because this is distilled from rice it gives it a more elegant and lighter body. Smooth butterscotch and vanilla notes end it. Super small production so get it while we have it.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 09, 2016

I had no idea what to expect from this…Rice-based whisky? Will it taste like Sake…nope…Scotch…kind of…top-quality, rich, soft, sherry cask…YEP. This is just one of the most exotic, supple easy-drinking whiskies I’ve come across. Decadent sherry flavors, silky texture, rancio tones that go on forever. Bravo to our Spirits department for tracking something unique like this down…a really intriguing bottle that definitely delivers on the palate.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 06, 2016

This rice whiskey is soft and creamy and very easy to drink. The sherry cask aging added richness and some subtle dried fruit notes. It is very supple and should please any fan of the Nikka Coffey Grain Whiskey.

Daniel Maas | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 07, 2016

“Now Sherry my love for you is real.” Yeah – that’s a lyric from the IMMORTAL BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S hit, “Sherry Darling,” but aside from being profound truth, it also sums up exactly how I feel about this exclusive bottling of EXCELLENT Japanese Whiskey. That I loved this was pleasant surprise (as a lover of the PEATY malts of ISLAY), as I found the sherry influence here to be immensely balanced. This is the absolute perfect entry point for a scotch lover into the exciting world of Japanese whiskey!

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