Takamine 8 Years Old Koji Whiskey 750ml

JAPAN : FUKUOKA

100% Barley — Koji Fermented

MED-BODIED, UMAMI, CITRUS PEEL, VANILLA, FRESH HERBS

The brand honors Jokichi Takamine, the Japanese chemist who first applied koji — the mold behind sake, miso, and soy sauce — to whiskey production in Peoria, Illinois in 1891. Honkaku Spirits revives that process at Shinozaki Distillery: 100% barley, 40% inoculated with white koji and 60% steamed, combined in a 15-day multiple parallel fermentation where the mold and yeast convert starch and produce alcohol simultaneously. The result is a fermentation profile that no standard whisky process creates.

After double pot distillation, the spirit ages 8 years in 90% virgin American oak and 10% ex-bourbon casks. The koji's umami compounds survive the barrel — earthy, herbal, faintly saline — alongside the vanilla and caramel the wood contributes. Drinkhacker rated it A- (9/10); The Tasting Panel gave it 94 points; Imbibe called it unlike any whisk(e)y they had ever tasted.

80.6 Proof

Please note: Spirits are only available for local delivery or in-store pickup. All orders for shipping will be cancelled immediately.