Nara and the Sacred Mount Miwa

Nara, Japan’s first capital, is home to some of the country’s oldest shrines and temples. Here, we also find Soni Village, where KaMiKi whisky is produced. Near the village rises the sacred Mount Miwa, regarded in Shinto as a living kami (deity). At the foot of the mountain lies the Ōmiwa Shrine, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Ancient rituals are still practiced here, and KaMiKi’s distillery has received blessings from the shrine’s priests — a spiritual anchoring that leaves its mark on the whisky.

Kyoto and the Thousand Torii: Fushimi Inari

Not far from Nara lies Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, famous for its thousands of vermilion-red torii gates winding up the mountainside like a portal to another world. Inari, the god of rice and commerce, is a central figure in Japanese folklore. The many torii symbolize transitions between the worldly and the sacred — each passage a purification, a new layer of respect and immersion. This symbolism is mirrored in the experience of KaMiKi whisky, where layer upon layer of flavor leads you into a sensual journey.

Kami, Shinto, and the Spirits of Nature

At the heart of Japanese spirituality lies Shinto, where nature itself is considered sacred. Trees, mountains, springs, and stones can all be homes to kami — the divine spirits. Mount Miwa, the sakura trees, and the cedar barrels used in KaMiKi’s whisky production are all expressions of this connection. Even the name KaMiKi comes from “kami” (god) and “iki” (life force, breath) — a poetic image of the whisky as the sacred mountain’s breath.

The KaMiKi Distillery and Sakura Wood

KaMiKi is produced by Yoshino Spirits Co. in Soni Village, and the whisky is a blend of Japanese and international malt whiskies. After traditional maturation, it undergoes a rare secondary aging first in Japanese cedar barrels and then in sakura wood — the cherry tree that blooms briefly but intensely, symbolizing the transience and beauty of life. KaMiKi Sakura Wood Whisky carries notes of sandalwood, cinnamon, sweet flowers, and cherry — with a lingering finish flavored by the spicy cedar and the unique notes of the sakura wood. It could be a fleeting experience, like the short sakura blossom season, but it leaves a beautiful taste and memory behind.

A Bottle of Japan

KaMiKi Sakura Wood is not just a whisky — it is a story. It gathers the serenity of the mountains, the spirituality of the temple, and the beauty of the blossom into a golden drink that honors ancient Japan. To enjoy it is like walking through a torii gate: a moment of transition into something greater, more beautiful, and more deeply connected to nature and spirit.

It is whisky with soul.

My wife and I had a cozy stay in Helsingborg in Sweden where the most exciting whisky on the menu at the restaurant was this Shinobu Pure Malt

🅼🆈 🆃🆂🆃🅸🅽🅶 🅽🆃🅴🆂

🅝🅞🅢🅔
Orange zest, subtle soft smokiness or earthy note, toffee, grassy and oaky tones.
🅣🅐🅢🅣🅔
Velvety with hints of sandalwood, pepper, vanilla, citrus some burnt caramel and a earthy touch.
🅕🅘🅝🅘🅢🅗
Medium long with a touch of nutmeg, cinnamon, and milky coffee.
🆅🅴🆁 🅻🅻
I didn’t really know what to expect. The Mizunara oak is always intriguing in my opinion because not that much whisky is matured in these casks. This is a easy drinker but as an first impression I am not overwhelmed. I think one more taste some day can give another experience.

I have tried to find some facts about Shinobu Distillery and the whisky and this is were I get a little confused because some info does not compute in my head – The distillery is from 2012. First whisky was released in 2018 but at the same time it states that Shinobu Whisky is handcrafted by carefully selecting whiskies from around the world, reserving them in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, and finishing them with Japanese Mizunara oak. The result is a fusion of flavors, a dynamic explosion on the palate, and a smooth and easy-to-drink whisky with no artificial coloring.
So how much is sourced and how much is made at the distillery?

This is a fun whisky, because just like I bought it, took pictures and tasted it, there was released new rules for Japanese whisky on February 16, 2021.
So is this a Japanese whisky or not…

The Kaikyo distillery is relatively new. They have been producing alcohol since 2016, but have apparently only been licensed in 2017. hmmm although the Yonezawa family how has the distillery have been brewing Sake since 1856 and began distilling Spirits in 1917.
The location of the Kaikyo distillery is in the town of Akashi, at the historic Akashi Sake Brewery. Okay why is it not named “Akashi Distillery”? Well a good reason for this is that there already is a distillery by that make whisky and sake that is called Akashi. It is produced at the Eigashima Shuzo – White Oak Whisky Distillery only about 10 km from Kaikyo Distillery.
So Kaikyo calls their whisky Hatozaki so no one will get confused. I have read that this will change when they release the first Single Malt whisky – Then it will be called Kaikyo Whisky.

Kaikyo Distillery has it’s name from The Akashi-Kaikyo bridge which is not far from the distillery.
With a free span of 1,991 meters, the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge in Japan is the world’s longest suspension bridge and thus 367 meters longer than the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark, which is the world’s third longest with a 1,624 meters free span. The bridge was opened on April 5, 1998 (The Danish bridge opened June 14, 1998)

The name on the whisky – Hatozaki is from a nearby Lighthouse – well not just any Lighthouse, but Japans oldest stone lighthouse that was taken in service back in 1620.

So far so good.

In 2016 by Mossburn Distillers & Blenders, a Scotch Whisky company buys Kaikyo Distillery installed two new pot stills stills made by Scottish Forsythes. Now Kaikyo was ready for future distilling.

There is also a Hatozaki Blended whisky. Maybe I will tell about that in the future, but now it is time to focus on this Hatozaki Pure Malt.

Hatozaki Pure Malt what is this? This is where Mossburn comes into the picture. Hatozaki Pure Malt is a 100% malt whisky sourced from Japanese whiskies, Scottish and from North America – So according to the new Japanese laws on Japanese whisky, this is not a Japanese whisky.

Kaikyo has barrels of whisky from other countrys maturing at the distillery and blend these to get the Pure Malt and the blended of course.
The taste in Hatozaki Pure Malt is young. We don’t get an age statement, and that is fine with me, but we don’t get to know what actually is in the bottle either.
Mossburn is an Independent bottler and distiller that own Torabhaig Distillery on the Isle of Skye. They started distilling in 2017 as well, maybe there is young Torabhaig in this blend? It can be many other sourced whiskies and I don’t think there is very much original Japanese whisky in the blend as there is shortage of Japanese whisky in general.

It is said that all whiskies in this blend is between 5-6 years old and the casks used are Ex-Bourbon casks, Ex-Sherry casks and Mizunara barrels.

Anyway Hatozaki Pure Malt has been vatted in small batches of 20 caskes. This can be 200 – 500 Liter casks and is vatted i a special two stage proces.
First the master blender hand picks all the casks he want to use. Then he makes two Foundation blends and fill this each foundation into one cask to rest. After a periode of time he then marry the two foundations into one and let it rest for a periode of time.
Voila and you have Hatozaki Blended whisky.

In my opinion you need to give this whisky some air before sipping. This will take some of the alcohol burn when you nose. Then it becomes more fruity. It is grassy, malty, light smoked, some vanilla and pear.
The taste is reminding me of something Scotch I have tasted but in a younger version. Maybe that is just an illusion I have knowing that Mossburn is involved in some way.

Well, my conclusion is that is a okay whisky that in some ways get me thinking of a mix of Chivas Regal 12 year old and Label 5 but with more power and more maltyness. Not bad at all, I think I had expected a more round and smooth whisky. I think this one just have to grow with me. Now that I have the bottle it might change me with time – let’s see

Hatozaki Blended Whisky is the same whisky as USA Hatozaki Finest whisky.
Hatozaki Pure malt whisky is the same as USA Hatozaki small batch.

Maybe in 2022 or 2023 Kaikyo Distillery will release a single Malt from the distillery. Some from the first runs in 2017. I think that can be exiting.

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (3/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 – 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

In 2017 I had the Hakushu 12 YO at the Bar in Hotel Spreeblick in Germany and now I had the opportunity to taste the 18 YO at a whisky festival here in Denmark.

In my opinion many Japanese whiskies are very like Scotch and that can for me be a little disappointing thinking of the price of Japanese whisky.

Only little amounts of the Japanese whisky hit the European markets and that has to raise the prices.

When all that negative is said I also have to say they make some delicious whisky in Japan.
The 18 YO from the Forest distillery Hakushu is one of the lovely Japanese whiskies I have enjoyed.

The settings where you sip your whisky, have a large influence on what you think of it and I am trying to be objective when giving my thoughts on this one.
Let my give you a picture of the experience I had at the whisky festival: People chating al around, live music, everything was in a large tent, the smell of frying sausages, dust from the pavement and spilt beer. Not the ideal place to really get your tasting notes in place, but it was a party and people enjoyed themselves.

If I get the chance again I will have another go at this lovely whisky. Kanpai

The Japanese whisky industry keep their production methods close to secret so not to many information on numbers, casks and so on – But maybe that is okay, after all it is whisky to be enjoyed whether it is made in one way or another

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (5/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 – 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩

I am sitting in the Bar at the lovely family owned Hotel Spreeblick in Lübben, Germany. It is a well stocked bar and Thomas, the owner, knows something about whisky. We have had some great talks about whisky all the times we have been to the hotel.
Hakushu caught my eye and I had to try it. This was my first whisky from the Hakushu distillery and if I know my self, it will not be the last one to warm my throat.

It is a fine peated whisky but I am not blown away in smoke and tar but more quiet that turnes this whisky into a fine everyday dram.

We don’t get too many information on the bottle on the cask used, colour, filtration or when it is distilled and bottled – Maybe it is my lack of Japanese language understanding

𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮: (4/6)

🅼🆈 🆁🆃🅸🅽🅶 🆂🆈🆂🆃🅴🅼

– 𝙀𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧
– 𝘼 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙠𝙮 – 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙛
– 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 – 𝙈𝙮 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚
– 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙙 – 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮
– 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣
– 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩