Even when you have no plans to celebrate this holiday season, there’s always a good reason to snap up a bottle of good whiskey. If none of the spirits we previously featured are up your alley, then maybe Shirakawa’s 1958 will appeal to your discerning tastes. This is as rare as they get given the history behind the distillery.
The group is recognized as one of the first in Japan to produce malt whiskey. These days, collectors are on the lookout for exclusive releases. Most notably, those with a fascinating backstory tend to accumulate value over time.
Hence, enthusiasts occasionally diversify their holdings whenever something like this hits the market. We learned that the 1958 is unique to Shirakawa in so many ways. As indicated by press materials, the establishment shuttered its doors after close to “six and half decades” in business.
Furthermore, its facilities located in the Fukushima Prefectuwere eventually demolished in 2003. However, by some divine intervention, a forgotten batch of spirit stored in one of their warehouses was found in 2019.
Known for their blended whiskey, nobody expected the stainless steel tanks contained a single malt expression. “It seemed Shirakawa Distillery would guard her secrets forever until a discovery of its liquid history was unearthed,” reads the product page.
A whiskey of this caliber crafted by the renowned distillery will likely stay unopened in the hands of a serious collector. Each 1958 ships inside a blackened wood box with gold accents. The interior is equally mesmerizing and includes a brief history and tasting notes printed on what looks like leather.
Draw in hints of candied pineapple, marzipan, orange liqueur, coconut, honeysuckle, cut grass, waxy oak, spice, wood, and floral aromas. The 1958 touts a palate of ginger, cinnamon, lime curd, apple, marzipan, and white chocolate. Finally, Shirakaw describes lingering notes of nuts, spice, and smoke.
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Images courtesy of Shirakawa
