Hatozaki Japanese Whisky

The Kaikyo Distillery, famous for its sake production, has now released its first two whiskies for its 100th anniversary, a Hatozaki Blended and a Pure Malt.

The two whiskies have been created by Hatozaki’s Master Distiller and Blender, Kimio Yonezawa, the man who has till now been crafting their sakes in Akashi, a port city which stands on the Seto Inland Sea, about 30 minutes west of Kobe.

Hatozaki History

The roots of the Kaikyo Distillery date back to 1856 when the Yonezawa family founded the Akashi Sake Brewery, and initially specialised in rice alcohol distillation. In 1917 the focus switched purely to sake production, and then in 2018 the same original Yonezawa family decided to celebrate over 100 years of sake making by diversifying into whisky production in a new distillery.

They bought two Forsyth stills from Scotland and also bought casks made of mizunara oak (a Japanese white oak) and sakura, or cherry wood, and the Master Distiller turned his attention to whisky.

Hatozaki Lighthouse

Hatozaki is named for the Hatozaki Lighthouse, which appears on the labels. It was built in 1657 and is the oldest stone lighthouse in Japan, built to guide ships safely into the port of Akashi. It was declared a National Monument in 2014.

Tasting Hatozaki’s Whiskies

I haven’t tasted lots of Japanese spirits but the ones I have tried, like Roku Gin, have been delicate, delicious, complex, and typical of the fine detail and elegance that applies to many Japanese arts and crafts, and food and drink.

Hatozaki Pure Malt

I probably tried these two whiskies in the wrong order, but I was really curious to try the Pure Malt, at 46% ABV. It was a pale straw colour, not a typical whisky colour at all. It looks like a very young whisky and yet it’s a blend of 5 to 6-year-old small batch single malts. The blend itself is then aged for several years in old bourbon, sherry and mizunara casks. I’m not sure how this lengthy ageing process ties in with the distillery only being founded in 2018, and you’d expect the spirit to be darker after long maturation.

It certainly had a typical whisky aroma, though, but in a very subtle way with hints of peaches, tropical fruit, of citrus, and of spices. There’s a smoky note to it as well, not as much as in a peated whisky but still there, along with a creamy vanilla taste. The finish was also a delight, with a mix of smokiness and honey sweetness.

Hatozaki Blended

The Hatozaki Blended is lower in alcohol at 40% ABV and a similar pale colour. There are similar aromas and tastes to the Pure Malt, but in a less intense and more floral way. The malted barley also comes through, with touches of orange too. The finish is equally good, but instead of the smokiness there’s a pleasantly nutty taste. All in all these are two more excellent Japanese spirits, and either would be a good introduction to Japanese whisky styles.