The World’s Rarest Japanese Whisky – The Shirakawa 1958 Single Malt – Japanese Whisky News
The World’s Rarest Japanese Whisky – Shirakawa 1958 Single Malt
The Shirakawa Distillery is one of Japan’s lesser known silent distilleries, situated in the Fukushima Prefecture, around 200km North of Tokyo. It was built in 1939 by Daikoku Budoshu, who were also responsible for building the legendary Karuizawa Distillery. They owned the distillery for around 8 years, until, in 1947 it was purchased by Takara Shuzo.
In 1951, Shirakawa became one of the first distilleries in all of Japan to produce malt whisky, however at this time the Single Malt market was almost non-existent, both at home and abroad. The malt whisky produced at Shirakawa was used in “King Blended Whisky”, which achieved moderate success around Japan, but never made it onto the international market. The distillery continued producing malt whisky right up until 1969, however they never released a single malt whisky onto the market.
The distillery was demolished in 2003, and in 2011, Takara Shuzo gifted the land where the distillery once sat to the Japanese government, in order to build emergency housing to accommodate the locals who had been displaced by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Waxy oak aromas, sweet fruits, gentle nuts, candied pineapple and orange liqueur, gradually making way for cut grass, honeysuckle, coconut and a waves of spices, floral tones and woody aromas.
Palate
Freshly sliced apple, zingy lime curd, soft marzipan and white chocolate evolving into a tropical trail mix with a dusting of cinnamon and ginger.
Finish
Fruity aromas, a soft nuttiness, light spice and just a touch of smoke.
Own a Piece of Japanese Whisky History Today
We are delighted to announce that the Shirakawa 1958 is now available to purchase on dekanta. Limited quantities of this iconic whisky remain, with most bottles already being snapped up by collectors and aficionados around the world.
This is a rare opportunity to own your very own piece of Japanese whisky history, and it’s one you don’t want to miss out on. Order online today to secure yours.
