COMPETENT and PASSIONATE
Founded in 1888 on the shores of the Seto Inland Sea in the town of Akashi, the Eigashima distillery is part of the Eigashima company, one of Japan’s oldest sake producers (founded in 1679). In 1919, Eigashima was the first Japanese distillery to receive a license to produce whisky. Until 1984, the whisky was only consumed locally. For more than 30 years, the distillery has been producing sophisticated whiskies in small batches, following the Scottish model.
Beginnings of the Urabe family and the founding of Eigashima Shuzo
In 1679, the Urabe family began producing sake in the coastal town of Akashi, not far from the famous port of Kobe. In 1888, the family joined forces with five other sake producers to found the company Eigashima Shuzo, which specialized in high-quality sake production.
Beginnings of the Urabe family and the founding of Eigashima Shuzo
In 1679, the Urabe family began producing sake in the coastal town of Akashi, not far from the famous port of Kobe. In 1888, the family joined forces with five other sake producers to found the company Eigashima Shuzo, which specialized in high-quality sake production.
Pioneering work
in the whisky sector
In 1919, Eigashima Shuzo became the first brewery in Japan to receive a license to produce whisky and other spirits – even before the well-known brands Suntory and Nikka. Its first whisky, called “White Oak”, was a product of its time: an undistilled white spirit mixed with water and flavors to imitate Scotch whiskies and bourbons.
At that time, there were no legal regulations on whisky production in Japan.
The development towards real whisky
With the increasing demand for whisky in Japan, Eigashima decided in 1961 to set up a real whisky production facility inspired by the Scottish style. To do so, they used distilling equipment rescued from a disused local distillery, the Silver Whisky Distillery.
The construction of the White Oak Distillery
In 1984, while whisky was experiencing a wave of popularity in Japan and gaining worldwide recognition, the long-established Eigashima Shuzo took the next big step in its development. The company, originally known for its sake and shochu, builds its own whisky distillery: the White Oak Distillery. This name was deliberately chosen as a tribute to the distillery’s very first whisky, which was released under the name “White Oak”. This decision underscores Eigashima’s commitment to being part of the emerging Japanese whisky scene while honoring its roots. The construction of the White Oak Distillery not only marked a significant milestone in the company’s history, but also a turning point in production technology. The acquisition of modern distilling equipment from the renowned Japanese company Miyake enabled production capacities to be expanded considerably. These technological innovations enabled the distillery to produce whisky with the utmost precision and efficiency while meeting the highest quality standards. The new equipment not only allowed more precise control of the distillation process, but also greater variety in the development of flavor profiles.
The birth of Akashi whiskies
In 2007, as the global demand for Japanese whisky grows rapidly, the White Oak Distillery launches the “Akashi” brand. Their first Akashi single malt whisky, an 8 year matured whisky, is launched in Japan with a limited edition of 811 bottles. Expansion into Europe begins in 2010 with the support of Whiskies du Monde. The first 600 bottles of Akashi whisky are sold out immediately in Europe.
Scottish tradition meets Japanese know-how
Raw materials Grain and water
Wheat and barley are imported from Scotland, a country known worldwide for the quality of its grain. Different varieties are grown in Scotland, which are ideal for whisky production. The groundwater is sourced from the town of Akashi. The soil consists of granite with a high mineral content, sulphate and carbonate, which offers diverse and complex possibilities for whisky production.
Fermentation
At this stage, EIGASHIMA opted for a traditional Japanese method commonly used for sake production: the shubo process.
This process is followed by a long fermentation period of 93 to 117 hours. This time gives the aromas great complexity.
The Shubo process
“Shubo” means ‘mother of sake’ in Japanese. It consists of cultivating yeasts before the official start of the fermentation process. This is intended to speed up the fermentation process and promote the development of lactic acid for complex aromas in the whisky.
Double distillation in pot stills
The pot stills originally acquired by the Silver Whisky Distillery have been improved several times over the years. In 1984, their lower section was replaced to increase production capacity and meet increasing demand. In 2019, the upper part was replaced with a new, downward-facing swan neck in order to obtain more esters and therefore more complex whiskies during distillation.
Ageing
Like most Scotch whiskies, AKASHI whiskies are traditionally matured in bourbon and/or sherry casks.
The Angel’s ‘Share (approx. 7%) is twice as high as in Scotland, as the temperature differences between the seasons are consistent and therefore have a major influence on the maturing process.
Finish
As a tribute to the Japanese “terroir”, the Eigashima distillery matures some of its whiskies in casks that were previously used to store traditional Japanese spirits. They use sake and umeshu casks as well as wine casks from their own vineyard.
