Eigashima

Founded by Eigashima Shuzo, the Eigashima distillery, formerly called White Oak, was built in 1984 in Akashi, Hyogo prefecture.

Located near the Seto Inland Sea, the distillery benefits from a climate with large temperature differences between winter and summer, which favors the maturation of whiskies.

Founded in 1679, Eigashima Shuzo was originally a sake producer which in 1888, under the impetus of Hyokichi Urabe, diversified into the production of other traditional alcoholic beverages such as shochu, umeshu and wine.

Proud of this long history, it was a pioneer in more than one respect; the first to market sake in glass bottles in 1899, but also the first to obtain a license to distill whisky in Japan in 1919, and would thus be the first to have started producing whisky from 1920.

Eigashima Shuzo really started the distillation of whisky in the early 60's with a seasonal and artisanal production. It is only in 1984 that Mikio Hiraishi, great grandson of Hyokichi Urabe, decided to dedicate a part of the site to the production of whisky with the construction of a malt distillery inspired by the Scottish model which he named White Oak.

Today, the distillery imports 20 to 30 tons of barley from Scotland per year for a small artisanal production of high quality with a particular importance given to the balance of the blends and the diversity of the ageing casks. 

The company is looking forward to the future with serenity thanks to the creativity of its team and the will to respect the tradition. In addition to the many variations of its Akashi single malts and blends, Eigashima is also at the origin of the Tokinoka blended whiskies.