History

• White Oak Distillery, also known as Eigashima Distillery, is located in the city of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture and is part of Eigashima Shuzo Co. Ltd., which was founded in 1888. A whisky license was obtained in 1919, and whisky production became regular only in 1984. The distillery's stills are used primarily for whisky production and have historically been employed in periods, including two months per year.
• In the mid-1960s, Eigashima decided to produce its own malt whisky. Two small pot stills of 1,000 litres each were installed. In 1984 the plant moved to a new stillhouse, and the old stills were replaced with two larger steam-heated pot stills (wash still of 4,500 litres and spirit still of 3,000 litres), which quadrupled capacity. The building previously in use was converted into a warehouse.
• Production and maturation since then have focused on malt whisky. Little-known fact: grain whisky is purchased from Longmorn Distillery in Scotland, and lightly peated barley malt is imported from Scotland. Until 2014 the ppm level was between 3.5 and 5; since 2014 it has been 10 ppm for a somewhat smokier and heavier character. From 2021 two variants are planned: either unpeated barley or a variant with 50 ppm.
• Whisky is stored in one of the warmest and driest areas in Japan, which yields maturation typically after 3–5 years. The warehouse capacity holds up to 1,000 casks; around 2019 there were about 600 casks stored, oldest from 2007.
• In 2019 Eigashima celebrated the centenary of its whisky license and announced special bottlings; mention of bottlings in tequila and chestnut casks and plans for a bottling for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. In addition, there are bottlings mentioning umeshu (umeshu) aged in casks for six months.
• The overall objective from management, including CEO Mikio Hiraishi, is to regard malt whisky as 'the quintessence of whisky' and to offer customers only the best product.

Production

• White Oak produces exclusively malt whisky; grain whisky for blends is purchased from Longmorn Distillery in Scotland. Lightly peated barley malt imported from Scotland is also used. Since 2014 the peating has been around 10 ppm to achieve a smokier and heavier flavor. From 2021 two variants are planned: either unpeated barley or a variant with 50 ppm.
• The distillery stores maturation in one of the warmest and driest areas in Japan; typical maturation periods run around 3–5 years. The warehouse can hold up to 1,000 casks; around 2019 there were about 600 casks aged, oldest from 2007.
• New Make (the unaged distillate) is distilled twice following the Scottish model and was bottled at 59.5% ABV until 2012, and then at 63.5% ABV from 2012.
• Regarding casks, bourbon and sherry casks are the primary types, but experiments are also conducted with exotic casks such as chestnut, cognac, sake and tequila; Japanese Konara oak casks are used in very small quantities.

Products / Whisky Series

• The whisky is bottled under the Akashi brand, named after the distillery's location. There is also a cheaper White Oak line for the Japanese market, where these blends are under 40% ABV and therefore may not be sold as whisky in the EU.
• The oldest bottling, Akashi Aged 15 Years, was released in 2013. In 2019 the company celebrated the centenary of its whisky license and announced special bottlings and planned bottlings with tequila and chestnut casks.
• The range includes Akashi single malt whiskies – including a non-age-statement one, a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old, the latter from a sake cask. There are also a few single cask bottlings, mainly sold in Japan.
• In practice, a mix of casks is used, with bourbon and sherry casks as the main defined types, and experiments with other casks such as tequila, chestnut and sake. A few casks use Konara oak in very small quantities.
• There are plans and references to variants from 2021, including an unpeated version and a version with 50 ppm.

Visits / Experiences

• Tours Available: Not Available. This indicates that tours are not offered at present.

Philosophy

• According to CEO Mikio Hiraishi, malt whisky is regarded as the 'quintessence of whisky,' and there is an emphasis on offering customers only the best product.