Hokkaido's Akkeshi To Launch New Zodiac Series Starting With Hitsuji As It Sees Completion Of Solar Terms Collection

Akkeshi Distillery is set to launch Hitsuji, the inaugural single malt in its new Katsushika Hokusai Twelve Zodiac Series.

This follows Akkeshi Distillery’s Twenty-Four Solar Terms Series, which has reached its culmination after six years. Released just once a year, this new lineup will take twice as long to complete as its predecessor, extending Akkeshi's release calendar across the next twelve years.

Made with malt barley from the UK and Hokkaido, the tasting notes are said to include:

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Notes of chocolate, orange, lemon, mandarin orange, hassaku orange, smoky peat, and some salinity.

Flavor: Sweet orange and mandarin, tart lemon and lime, rich butter and aroma of soy sauce.

Finish: Black pepper and ginger, raisin, salinity, a slight bitterness of citrus peel, and a lingering orange candy flavor.

The "Hitsuji" (Sheep) marks a fresh chapter for Akkeshi whisky, embodying themes of tranquility, harmony, and human connection. Drawing inspiration from the animal motifs featured in Hokusai's famed masterwork, Hokusai Manga, the distillery plans to honor the tradition by introducing a new zodiac-themed expression each year.

In particular, the sheep illustration is drawn from page 27 of Denshin Kaishu Hokusai Gakyo.

A signature work of late-Edo period ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai, Hokusai Manga is an extensive collection of sketches spanning diverse subjects, from human figures and flora to architecture and mythic yokai. Though distinct from modern narrative manga, its expressive, dynamic draftsmanship exerted a profound global influence, serving as a cornerstone of the 19th-century Japonism movement that inspired scores of Western artists.

Akkeshi Distillery previously drew inspiration from Katsushika Hokusai for limited releases featuring the crane motif from Denshin Kaishu Ippitsu Gafu and the Great Wave-inspired Hokusai North Colors.

 

 

Upgrading from standard box designs, the release debuts in a heavy-duty spiral cardboard tube, differing from the distillery's previous box-type format, and said to be engineered to deliver a distinctly substantial, high-end unboxing experience.

Each bottle includes a 24-karat gold-plated souvenir bookmark, featuring Hokusai’s lively depiction of the kanji character for each animal along with its illustration.

The expression will roll out nationwide in limited batches starting late Nov 2026. Bottled at 52% ABV, each 700ml format will boast an MSRP of 36,300 yen.

Kanpai