Whisky, Brandy Cask

Ohishi Distillery was founded in 1872, located in the Southwest of Japan, in a beautifully mountainous and scenic countryside.  Ohishi sits near the tiny village of Mizukami, and is the closest distillery to the source of the Kuma River, one of the fastest flowing rivers in all of Japan, renowned and prized for its superior water quality.  Ohishi has been a family business for five generations, primarily known for its sake & shochu production.  Ohishi Whisky is distilled entirely from rice and aged in either Brandy or Sherry Casks.  In order to ensure the quality of the spirit, the Master Distiller utilizes 30% estate grown grain for distillation, with the remaining 70% of rice  coming from the surrounding Kumamoto prefecture.  Weeds in the estate rice paddies are controlled by employing koi fish to swim about the grass and nibble invasive plants.  Varieties of estate-grown rice include Hino hikari, Mori no kuma-san, Yamada Nishiki, Gohyaku Mangoku and Gin no Sato.  Because of the rice’s efficient and subsequent clean fermentation, Ohishi uses a pot still made from stainless steel, as opposed to copper.

Tasting Notes

The Brandy Cask expression of Ohishi is a blend of ex-Cognac barrels between 3 and 25 years of age.  The resulting spirit is delicate, yet angular, with notes of citrus, black peppercorn, and vanilla.