Hatozaki Small Batch

Hatozaki Small Batch is a blend from Kaikyo Distillery in Akashi, Hyogo, bottled at 46% in a 750ml format for an event market release in 2018. It follows the three-cask approach that has defined Kaikyo's blended expressions since the distillery's early years, drawing on bourbon barrels, sherry casks and mizunara oak.

The Ex-Bourbon casks provide a vanilla and fruit foundation, the Oloroso sherry adds dried fruit and a soft nuttiness, and the mizunara contributes the incense and sandalwood character that is a signature of Japanese oak maturation. Taken together, the cask combination delivers a layered, aromatic whisky that reflects the breadth of Kaikyo's wood programme. The 750ml format and event designation suggest a release targeted at specialist or hospitality channels rather than standard retail.