Akkeshi Distillery Shosho – Summer Fades Blended Whisky

Lightly peated blended malt and grain whisky produced by Akkeshi Distillery in Akkeshi, Japan • 4^th release from 24 Sekki series • Akkeshi single malt distilled in Forsyths copper pot stills • Aged a minimum 4 years primarily in ex-bourbon barrels as well as sherry, red wine, and locally grown Mizunara oak casks • Awarded World’s Best Blended Whisky at 2022 World Whiskies Awards • Aromas of butter fudge, marmalade, and bonfire precede a sweet, citrusy palate bursting with lemon, lime, and manuka honey with white pepper and sea salt on the finish • Bottled in 2021; limited US release of only 492 bottles • 48% ABV

The 24 Japanese Sekki are days that divide the solar year into 24 equal micro seasons. Shosho, roughly translated as “summer fades,” begins around August 23 and marks when the heat begins to taper and the evening temperatures cool. The expected iodine notes of this peated whisky are replaced by a gentle, warming sweetness reminiscent of extinguished campfire.