Hakata whiskies are made by Hikari-Shuzo Co. Ltd, which was founded in 1912. The company is an authentic Hakata shochu maker based on Kyushu Island, the southernmost of Japan's five main islands, and is situated in the country's leading area for barley shochu production.
If you enjoy whiskies that exude umami, that moreish savory flavor, then these expressions from Hakata might be to your liking. While the whiskies are made from 100% barley, they're not traditional single malts. Koji is introduced to steamed barley to break down the starch into glucose to enable fermentation. The distillery does a single distillation using both standard pressure and vacuum techniques. The spirit is aged in sherry casks stored in both traditional and open-air warehouses, experiencing temperature fluctuations ranging from 95°F in summer down to 38°F in winter. The dominant sherry flavors, umami notes, texture, and mouthfeel make these whiskies stand apart from most rice whiskies and single malt whiskies from Japan.
(Note: Hikari-Shuzo Co. Ltd. is a separate company from Hikari Distillery Limited, which began distilling in 2020 in a new facility north of Tokyo).
96 Hakata 16 year old Sherry Cask, 42%, $150
A spectacular drink that opens with aromas of Seville orange marmalade, milk chocolate, ground pepper, barley, and soft rounded oak, with an underlying dryness from the sherry. The umami notes are there, but are more integrated than other Hakata. An oily texture bursting with bitter plain chocolate, citrus oil, fresh walnut, black cherry, pepper, and ground ginger, develops an underlying creaminess and serves up a hazelnut finish.
95 Hakata 12 year old Sherry Cask, 42%, $100
Fleeting vegetal aromas of bok choy, with ground ginger, coffee bean, and marron glacé. The umami is strong on this one, but there’s balance on the nose from black forest gateau notes and a hint of oak astringency. Raisin and black cherry flavors draw on a deep pool of umami notes, with soy sauce, shredded ginger, balsamic vinegar, plain chocolate, and a growing presence of oak tannins.
94 Hakata 18 year old Sherry Cask, 42%, $190
An intensity of aromas with chocolate brownie, black currant cassis, wood spices, dark soy sauce, and worn leather; some lemongrass and spring onion freshness, the umami and oak notes reach equilibrium. Dark sticky sherry notes on the palate, with raisin, leather, dried fig, prune, and dark chocolate, spinning away with an umami phase before the sherry notes become dry. The finish is long, with leather and walnut oil.
93 Hakata 10 year old Sherry Cask, 42%, $80
Initially, there are dark sherry notes of plum, black cherry, and soy sauce, with a lift of gentle spices, then it evolves, adding caramelized roasted garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and concentrated notes of aged balsamic vinegar. A burst of browned butter on the palate, followed by nutty flavors, with ripe plum, damson, a dash of balsamic, clove, pepper, melted chocolate, and a mouth-filling finish of powdery cocoa.
