Ohishi Port Cask Whisky

Ohishi Distillery was founded in 1872 in southwestern Japan, in the countryside mountains. It is situated near the village of Mizukami and not far from the Kuma River, one of the fastest-flowing rivers in Japan. This has been a family operation for over six generations and was always primarily focused on sake and shochu. Over the last decade, they have started making rice whisky. Their rice whisky is distilled entirely from rice. About 30% of the rice they use is estate-grown, and the other 70% comes from the surrounding Kumamoto prefecture. Ohishi whisky is unique because it undergoes two fermentation periods — one for seven days in clay pots using koji, followed by a secondary fourteen-day fermentation in stainless steel using yeast. Their Master Distiller, Kazunori Oishi, is known to use primarily brandy, sherry, sakura, and port casks for maturing the whiskies.