Prices
Prices and stock come from each retailer's website. Check with the store before you buy.
More from this distillery: All Akkeshi whiskies and prices
About
What it is
The seventh release in Akkeshi's Twenty Four Solar Terms series, out on 30 May 2022 at 55%. Seimei falls in early April in the Japanese calendar and is described as the point when everything turns pure and bright. The label carries swallows, returning north after the winter.
Where it comes from
A single malt, meaning entirely Akkeshi's own spirit, distilled and matured on site. The series alternates between single malts and blends, and the blends use imported new pot grain whisky aged at Akkeshi for three years. That's the line to watch: the single malts carry no imported component, the blends do. No producer statement against the Japan Spirits and Liqueurs Makers Association standard has surfaced for this specific release.
How it's made
Akkeshi is on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, further east than any other Japanese distillery, in a stretch of coast defined by sea fog, salt air and peat bog. Distilling started in 2016 on an Islay template, with Forsyths pot stills and peated malt. The distillery cuts local peat, which almost nobody else in Japan can do, and the river feeding its water supply runs through the peat layer. Hokkaido mizunara is the house cask, supported by ex-bourbon, sherry and wine wood.
What to expect
Brighter and fresher than the winter releases, which suits the season it's named for. Citrus and orchard fruit over aromatic peat smoke, with the sandalwood and incense character mizunara brings, finishing salty and savoury. At 55% it rewards a little water.
How it compares
Against Ritto, the previous single malt, that one is far more sherry driven. Against Boshu, the peat and citrus balance is similar and Seimei is the lighter of the two. Against Taisetsu, released later the same year, mizunara leads more clearly there. The series is bought as a set as much as individually, which shapes the prices.
