White Oak Akashi Blended Whisky

This whisky retails at 10$ here in Japan and I think it’s a great option at that price.
But paying 3-4 times that price can’t be justified compared to good scotch blends.
That’s the thing with Japanese whisky. At the Japanese price it’s a good option, but more than that and you’re better off with the still unrivaled selection that Scotland has to offer!

4th November 2020

Quite delicate after it's had a second to breathe in the glass. But it definitely needs that breathing time.

9th May 2019

Very mild but pleasent on the nose. Slight bite at first but well flavored. The aftertaste was what got me. It leaves me with such a great taste, I love sipping on this by the fire before bed. Will by again.

7th March 2019

A bit harsh at first, but try adding a few drops of water and letting it rest. The lemongrass and medicinal smell go on the back. This whiskey becomes mellow, fruity and chocolaty. Superb! The best of things always take time to appreciate

30th December 2018

Those calling this Japanese whisky are mistaken. It's mainly scotch blended with some of Akashi's spirit. Smooth and cheap. How do I know? I just toured the distillery.

27th November 2018

Highly negative reviewers don't seem to get the point. This is a sub-$50 Japanese whisky in America, where many of the other options are well over $100. It IS very, very simple -- banana bread on the nose, lots of caramel and toffee on the palate, and a smooth, if rather short finish. Easy to drink, should appeal to both American and European whisky drinkers in this price point. It's not supposed to anything amazing -- it's their entry-level product! Very enjoyable for the price, and well worth picking up for a Monday-Thursday nightcap.

6th November 2018

As an avid whisky fan I couldn’t wait to try a Japanese whisky, bought this in japan so I guess I got lucky getting the domestic version.
As a fan of some very nice single malts such as Glenturret and Dalwhinnie I can honestly say this is a lovely drop, a blend not a single malt but very pleasing all the same.
It’s very smooth and has a very pleasant finish.

21st October 2018

A little woodsy great taste nice and smooth!

2nd October 2018

Smooth, fruity, touch of caramel. A pleasant drop of whisky. I like it neat. When I'm not in the mood for an Islay, this is an easy drinking, non challenging nightcap. Don't really get the slating reviews. It's not that bad.

24th September 2018

The eloquence of this nectar is far beyond any expectation. Don’t pay any attention to the naysayers. It’s truly a thing of beauty and anyone who thinks differently doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

7th September 2018

Nose is uninteresting, smells like spirit and little else. A touch of "whisky" smell, but nothing more. Thin, fast, unremarkable on the palate. Tastes low proof, lacks complexity. Inoffensive, but not worth hunting down. It would make a fine highball, but is uninspiring sipped neat. Too simple, too glossed over, not enough detail. After a sip I have nearly forgotten it.

8th August 2018

Ah now!
Akashi is an entry level caramel laden bland blend.
Move on up for something a bit more tasty.

4th August 2018

This was.my first japanese whiskey. I was pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of the whiskey. The hint of fruity at the end. Awesome

12th February 2018

Very good for its price. Even my wife who doesn't drink Whisky enjoyed it.

1st February 2018

Had some in a Japanese restaurant in Chicago. Good at any price and very good for the price paid.

18th January 2018

I was given this whiskey as a gift as I wanted to try a Japanese whiskey for a long time but never got around to it, unfortunately this whiskey must be one of the worse whiskeys I have ever tried.
The nose was like rancid puddle water which didn't make you look forward the taste, the taste was at first not very pleasant due to the odour with a plain taste but then warmed to a woody after taste which is the only good thing I can say about this whiskey but getting to this was not worth the effort especially at this price point.

1st January 2018

I'm not sure how this whisky has such good reviews. It is, undoubtedly, the worst bottle I own. There is an artificial caramel sweetness and an awful raw spirit smell and taste to it. The only possible use - for my taste - might be to mix it with something... and it may not even be good enough for that.

15th July 2017

I was recently given a bottle. Read some mediocre reviews, but thought hey ho let's give this a whirl.
Not sure i can quite put my finger on why, but i'm enjoying this so much. The notes and finish are solid (maybe a bit loud for some), but not in the same league as the experience as a whole. This is a late night whisky - not a drown your sorrows late-night heart breaker type, but a whisky to fill you with hope for tomorrow. I'm definitely buying another bottle.

14th July 2017

Went down well while eating cheese and crackers in front of a coal fire and tele

2nd January 2017

Enjoyed this well balanced, easy to drink whiskey. Let it sit in the glass a little while to open up the flavor.

24th December 2016

This is not of the "scotch" style of Japanese whiskies. I bought some in Kyoto at Liquor Mountain and have to say it's worth the price in Japan (1300 yen!!!), but having seen the price here in the states, it's not worth that at all. I was able to bring a second bottle home. It's very tasty in place of typical American whisky in a lot of simple recipes like a manhattan and an old fashioned. Great in japanese highballs as well. For 1300 yen it's a steal. Anything 13 dollars for that size in the US is basically lighter fluid more often than not. This actually has some character. Would I pay 37 dollars for it though? No way.

16th November 2016

Not bad. Has a light and fruity flavor. Preferred to take it neat.

18th July 2016

Very smooth, warm. Slightly sweet. Good buy.

16th April 2016

While my first instinct with this blended whisky was to throw it to the rocks and go for a single malt, upon first taste I was pleasantly surprised. It has a a milder flavor profile from what one would normally look for in a fine whisky, but with the right occasion this is an excellent choice. I would recommend this glass with dinner, or even as a Sunday morning enjoyment.
Upon first opening the bottle, which is a metal twist cap, not a cork, my first instinct was of a speyside with a splash of vodka (I hate vodka), but much more mild. I find that letting it sit in the glass for a little while opens up the flavor profile a bit, and allows one to taste the subtle nuances of the bottle. With the first sip I taste a nice matured, but not complex oak, with a mild peaty finish and undertones of vodka. I made the mistake of drinking this beside a nice scotch the other night and I could barely taste the whiskey.

Overall it tastes and smells cheaply, and hastily made. I am disappointed by this product. I expected more, especially with the recent craze into the japanese whisky's. with that said, the mild taste would be best accompanied with fish. In that essence this would be a perfect Whisky

2nd March 2016

The flavor is so unique and smooth. I'm not normally a blend guy but I fell in love with this. Had it at a Japanese pub on a whiskey flight. Was my favorite of the group by far.

13th January 2016

Made by the same company, and bottled and labelled similarly. I'm currently sipping the former, and very smooth and nice it is, especially for the money, here in Japan. I only noticed the latter quite recently. It's about 2/3 of the price, and I haven't tried it yet.

14th November 2015

Me ha encantado y sorprendido este Whisky japones

7th June 2015

Easy to drink Japanese Blend which I rather enjoyed. As compared to Nikka From the Barrel, I like this better. I had it with Sushi and it complimented the fish and rice quite well.

13th February 2015

Very easy to enjoy.
I found this whiskey to have a mild, pleasant taste, with a touch of peat after-taste.
This reminds me of Buffalo Trace Whiskey, which is a bourbon but has a definite, mild peat taste. Like Buffalo Trace, if you want Scotch, try something else. If you want bourbon, go elsewhere. If you want something between bourbon and Scotch, give this a try.

11th January 2015

Although it is a blended whisky however the nose and taste are very close to Single Malts whisky which is really a surprise. This whisky is quite unique as it is not like typical whisky like Yamazaki or Yoichi, really a smooth whisky with impressive chocolate,honey, fruity flavor. The price is good too. Really a casual no pressure relaxing whisky!

25th December 2014

Some friends of mine have been banging on about Japanese whiskey for ages so I thought I'd give this a try. I usually like peaty whiskeys like Talisker although I can enjoy something smoother too. In the end I wish I'd done some research in to this one before trying it as I found it vile and almost chemically harsh with only a mildly improving after-taste. Avoid at all costs IMO!

22nd December 2014

It's one of the best blended whisky I have ever tried in my life, extremely smooth with unique flavor.

10th June 2014