Akkeshi Usui Blended Japanese Whisky 2021

Akkeshi Usui Blended Japanese Whisky is an early release in the Hokkaido distillery's 24 Sekki run, pairing its own peated malt with grain whisky.

Twenty-four releases is a long commitment, and that is what the Sekki series amounts to: one whisky for each of the short seasons the traditional Japanese calendar divides the year into. Keiichi Toita, who blends them, has worked in Japanese whisky for decades, and his signature here is a peat that reads savoury and coastal instead of sweet. This was one of the earlier entries, from a distillery that only began filling casks in 2016, so the components are young by any measure. That is part of the appeal, because the raw materials are unusually local: island barley, peat cut nearby, Hokkaido Mizunara.

Light on its feet, with cereal sweetness, poached pear and a smoky thread that builds slowly. Chill it down in a highball with plenty of ice, or take it neat at room temperature. It handles food better than most blends, so try it with yakitori.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.