Akkeshi Distillery Foundations #1 Single Malt

Akkeshi Distillery Foundations #1 Single Malt is a 200ml early release from the distillery's first years of production.

The Foundations bottlings were how a young Hokkaido distillery showed its working. Released in small format while the stock was still very young, they let drinkers follow the spirit's development year by year instead of waiting a decade for a first single malt. Distilling began in 2016 on the Pacific coast of eastern Hokkaido, in a town better known for oysters, with the cold, foggy, maritime conditions that drew comparisons to Islay from the outset. Local barley, locally cut peat and Mizunara casks from Hokkaido oak were all part of the plan from the beginning.

Young, bright and forthright, with peat smoke over malt, green apple and a saline finish. Small pours are the way to approach it, neat and at room temperature. Keep water to a few drops. At this age it is better tasted carefully than mixed.