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(Image Source: JPWhisky.net)
This time, I would like to introduce you to “Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS 3”, which was released on March 5 this year.
Prior to the upcoming official commercialization, the NEW BORN series is scheduled to have four installments, and the first, second, and third installments have already been released to inform whisky lovers about the “present state of the Akkeshi Distillery. The fourth series will be released in August this year.
- Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS 1 Bourbon Barrel Non-Peat (Released on 2/27/2018)
- Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS 2 Bourbon Barrel Peated (Released on 8/28/2018)
- Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS 3 Quercus serrata (Released on 3/5/2019)
- Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS 4 Blended (to be released on 8/XX/2019)
The flavor of whiskey varies greatly depending on the barrels in which it is matured. Generally, used foreign-made barrels used for making bourbon and sherry are used, but the third batch introduced here is characterized by the fact that it was matured in precious Mizunara oak barrels produced in Hokkaido. Mizunara oak barrels are said to have a unique incense-like aroma and are popular among whiskey lovers.
(Image Source: JPWhisky.net)
A blend of non-peated raw materials aged for 8-23 months in new oak barrels of Quercus serrata from Hokkaido
In response to fan demand, the Akkeshi Distillery, which began production in November 2016, has released its third Newborn, a blend of unpeated raw materials aged for 8 to 23 months in new Hokkaido Mizunara oak barrels, also known as Japanese oak by overseas malt fans. According to Japanese law, it is described as a whisky, but in Europe, it cannot be called a whisky if it has been aged for less than three years, so it will be released under the title “Newborn.
The Akkeshi Distillery’s “Newborn” series is a four-part series. This third release is the first in the series, aged in Quercus barrels. More than a dozen barrels were selected from among those aged for 8 to 23 months in Hokkaido Quercus barrels, and blended on December 5, 2018. The result is an unprecedented newborn with a complex aroma that includes citrus aromas and an oriental flavor derived from Quercus serrata. This is a superb product that will intoxicate you with the rich flavor of citrus mixed with the dense aroma unique to Quercus serrata. If you’ve tasted the first and second versions, you’ll be able to appreciate the differences as well.
| Aroma | Sweet aroma of brown sugar, vanilla, and fresh melon, with a spicy aroma of nutmeg. |
| Taste | Bitter chocolate and sugar syrup with a tangerine taste. |
| Aftertaste | White pepper pepper, bitter chocolate-like sweetness, and a slight woody aroma. |
(Image Source: JPWhisky.net)
| Alcohol content | 55% alcohol by volume |
| Classification | Single malt (unpeated) |
| Cask type | Sherry casks, etc. |
| Contents | 200ml |
| Number of bottles sold | Number of bottles sold |
| Suggested retail price | 6,380 yen (tax included) |
| Release date | March 5, 2019 |
Our Take
“Akkeshi NEW BORN FOUNDATIONS is made from “non-peated malt,” which is malted barley dried without using peat, and aged in bourbon barrels. It goes well with oysters, a specialty of the town of Akkeshi, and when a few drops are dripped on raw oysters on the half shell, the flavors of both oysters and oysters harmonize and you can enjoy the aroma of the sea. This way of enjoying oysters is also a familiar custom in Islay. Why don’t you try this luxury just like in the holy land of scotch?
(Image Source: JPWhisky.net)
The Akkeshi Distillery’s ideal whiskey is made entirely in Akkeshi, from the barley used to make the whiskey to the peat and aging barrels. A full-fledged single malt whiskey is scheduled to debut in 2020. Expectations for the future development of Akkeshi Whiskey are only growing.
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