The Hakushu 18 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky is made exclusively from malted barley, which is milled and mashed with water sourced from the Ojira River and Jingu Rivers (the water has a unique softness and purity, made possible by its filtration through the granite rocks of the Japanese Alps). Once the grains have been mashed, they are fermented by a unique strain of yeast (Hakushu Distillery has thousands of unique strains in its arsenal) in wooden washbacks. Despite the additional cost and labor required, wooden washbacks as compared to stainless steel washbacks take advantage of the distillery’s unique location by incorporating naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria and other microorganisms into the wash.

Following fermentation, the wash is distilled twice through Hakushu’s copper-pot stills before the whisky is laid to rest in the distillery’s warehouses. Once the whisky has aged for a minimum of 18 years, it is brought to proof with pure Japanese spring water. As a result of the whisky’s slumber in Japan’s deep forests, Hakushu 18 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky has a fruity aroma, with hints of orange, pear and dry smoke. Notes of pastries, baking spices, and honey buns dominate the palate, and lead to a finish accented by touches of smoke and cinnamon.