Eigashima Shuzo White Oak 5 Years Old Cask #5158

White Oak is the flagship single malt from Eigashima Shuzo, whose Akashi distillery in Hyogo prefecture has been producing malt whisky since the 1980s under what is Japan's oldest whisky licence. This 5 Years Old is a single cask, cask strength release at 50%, drawn from an Oloroso sherry cask and bottled for Japan.

Oloroso maturation brings dried dark fruit, raisin and a nutty warmth to Eigashima's clean, relatively light new make. The house style tends toward freshness and approachability, and the Oloroso influence here adds structure and sweetness without overpowering the underlying cereal character. At 50% the bottling retains vibrancy while delivering the concentrated character that single cask releases from this small programme are known for.