With Christmas just a week away, it’s time to kick-off our Christmas Countdown! This year, we’re doing something a bit different and focusing on our favourite Japanese whisky releases of 2020, highlighting a different bottle each day and giving you the opportunity to add it to your collection at a discounted price. What better way to end the year on a high?

So without further ado, let’s take a look at our first bottle – the splendid Akkeshi Kanro. 

The Akkeshi Kanro

Akkeshi is one of Japan’s fastest rising craft whisky distilleries. Situated on the stunning northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, they have been distilling whisky since 2016. The distillery founder, Keiichi Toita, chose the island as the location for his whisky venture thanks to his love of Islay single malts. The climate on Hokkaido is both cool and wet, so conditions are perfect for producing a spirit akin to those made on Scotland’s most famous whisky producing island. So far, they have released a number of unique new-make expressions, titled “Foundations”, and in March of this year their first single malt landed – the Sarorunkamuy, a beautiful bottling that was lapped up by avid whisky drinkers around the world. 

Released in early October, the Akkeshi Kanro is the first expression in the distillery’s new “24 Solar Terms” lineup. This exciting range of bottles is set to explore the effects that the local weather, terroir, wildlife and farming activity have on the exceptional liquid being produced by the distillery, with Kanro translating to “cold dew”. 

It was created using peated malt whisky that was matured in a mix of bourbon, wine, mizunara and sherry wood before being married to create a smooth, intriguing and flavourful expression. If, like us, you enjoyed the Sarorunkamuy, then the Kanro is sure to be to your liking.

It brings gentle strawberries (a theme of Akkeshi whiskies), orange, apple and cereal on the nose that blend seamlessly with buttered toast, sour lemon and a sweet creaminess. The palate arrives with more sweetness, lingering black pepper and creamy chocolate before a medium length finish. It’s a beautiful, gentle and moreish expression, just as we have come to expect from this promising young distillery. 

Much like their previous release, all of the whisky inside the Kanro has likely been aged for at least 3 years. This is yet another attractive attribute of the Akkeshi distillery – they have always been honest and had high standards from the beginning, meaning that we (the drinkers), can place our trust in their products, knowing that they are striving day after day to produce something truly exceptional, rather than something that is simply profitable.

The Kanro is without doubt one of our favourite new releases of the year and hails from a hugely promising distillery that we can’t wait to watch flourish as the years go by and their whiskies get older. It’s for these reasons that it takes it’s rightful place in our Christmas Countdown. A really delightful single malt. 

Be sure to come back tomorrow to check out another delicious release from one of Japan’s best distilleries.

Arigato!

For the next 24 hours you can get your hands on the Akkeshi Kanro at a discounted price, saving over 15%! Simply click here to Buy Now.