White Oak

White Oak belongs to Eigashima Shuzo, a long-established sake and shochu brewer in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. The company holds one of the oldest whisky licences in Japan, and its whisky is made at the White Oak distillery alongside its other drinks. Note that our data lists the region as Islay, but the distillery is in Japan.

White Oak is a small operation with copper pot stills, and whisky is distilled for only part of the year, with the rest given over to sake and shochu. Output is modest, so single malt releases tend to be young and limited, and casks matter a great deal to the character.

The Akashi Single Malt is the main malt release, including the Akashi Single Malt 5 Year Old and 10 Year Old and 5 year old finishes in red wine, white wine and sherry casks, plus occasional single casks such as the 6 Year Old red wine cask. Blends include White Oak Akashi and the Tokinoka range, including Tokinoka Black, which are among the most affordable Japanese whiskies on the shelf.

Our catalogue also links Kaikyo and Togouchi bottlings here. These come from other Japanese producers, so check each listing for the actual source of the whisky.