Editor's Note: This Shirakawa-Tomatin masterclass is hosted at Quaich Bar – many thanks to Preetpal Kaur for the invitation! This rare vintage Japanese single malt is now available for the Singapore market at Quaich Bar's store here. Read our detailed review of it here.

“There are no known examples of Japanese Whisky claiming to be from a Single Vintage that predates Shirakawa 1958.”

- Stefan van Eycken, Japanese Whisky Expert

About 200km North of Tokyo lies a city called Shirakawa. A far cry from the bustling metropolises of Japan, Shirakawa sits on the confluence of the Ara and Abukuma rivers, a unique geographical feature thus surrounded by streams, fertile soil, lush forests, peach orchards and rice paddies.

Like some of my favourite single malts, the city’s character is reserved and subtle. Wandering through the serene Komine Joshi Park, you may catch a glimpse of an elderly couple strolling arm in arm. Step out to the streets come evening, and the Kakunai historic district comes alive with the laughter of young children skipping home from school. Amidst the traditional Japanese architecture, residents take their time to exchange greetings and share stories of their days gone by.

But these unassuming streets of Kakunai district are linked to an extraordinary discovery that recently came to light. A cache of incredibly rare Shirakawa 1958 Single Malt has been uncovered – the liquid was distilled right here a long time ago – at the long-closed Shirakawa Distillery just a short walk from said Komine Park. This is a vintage Japanese single malt distilled in 1958, a momentous find representing the world’s earliest single-vintage Japanese whisky. This means that there are currently no known bottles from a specific vintage earlier than 1958, making it the rarest Japanese single malt in the world, in that sense.

Prior to this discovery, Shirakawa Distillery’s existence was known only by very few Japanese whisky experts, the likes of Stefan van Eycken. There have been rumours of the existence of old stocks of Shirakawa’s whisky, which Stephen Bremner, the Managing Director of Tomatin Distillery, picked up on when he became intrigued by parent company Takara Shuzo’s history of whisky-production in Japan. The whisky was happily found in Takara Shuzo’s storage facility in 2019.

Most records about Shirakawa Distillery have been lost to time. But what little that we know adds to the allure and fascination. Shirakawa Distillery was built in 1939 by Daikoku Budoshu Co., a subsidiary of Takara Shuzo Co., which went on to build the legendary Karuizawa Distillery in 1956.

As the Shirakawa 1958 was found preserved in neutral steel vessels, it is unclear exactly how old the whisky is. What is known, based on lab analysis and archives, is that the whisky is well into the decades old and had been significantly matured in Japanese Mizunara oak casks. It is also known that the distillery used 100% Japanese barley, had a relatively long fermentation process of 4 days, and distilled using pot stills heated with steam coils.

Not only is this whisky a fascinating step back into the rich history of Japanese malt production, this whisky showcases the influence of substantial Mizunara oak maturation on a single malt. Mizunara oak has to be harvested from trees that are at least 200 years old, and due to the wood structure, it is exceptionally difficult for coopers to fashion them into whisky barrels. Yet when properly matured in Mizunara, Japanese whisky is said to exhibit distinctive notes of honey, sandalwood, coconut and Japanese kara incense, making such whiskies highly desirable to connoisseurs and collectors.

So how does the oldest ever vintage Japanese single malt taste? 

After beating off all my 88 Bamboo colleagues, I became the lucky one nominated to attend this afternoon’s Shirakawa tasting opportunity at Quaich Bar’s Cigar and Whisky Lounge at the Capitol.

Now, you’d think there’s nothing to “prepare” for when it comes to a tasting event. But in the days leading up to the tasting, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety. I’ve hidden from my colleagues that I have a hair-trigger sinus. My greatest fear was catching a cold or having an allergic reaction that would result in a blocked nose, interfering with my ability to taste anything in a whisky that costs more than my personal net worth.

So, for two consecutive nights, I slept without air-conditioning. I even took antihistamine pills on the morning of the event. Whether these measures made a difference or not did not matter. I had no olfactory issues this important afternoon.

I entered the tasting room, settled into a comfortable armchair. Scott Adamson, Tomatin’s Blender and Global Brand Ambassador introduced himself and the 3 spirits we would be tasting today. Scott’s a storyteller who did a great job setting the stage.

Two other tasty drams before we move on to the star. Did you think we were just diving into the Shirakawa 1958 right away? Oh no sir, we’re not animals! There has to be a gradual prelude to the eventual congress. A little palate-teasing and courtship are essential to get our senses limbered-up.

The Tomatin 12 Years Old and Tomatin 50 Years Old would be the opening acts, before we usher in the star of this afternoon.

Tomatin 12 Years Old Single Malt

The Tomatin 12 offers a rather vibrant nose with classic Scotch notes with a generous touch of sweet Sherry - dried fruits, honey, Christmas cake, walnuts and cereal.

The palate is light bodied, gradually warming, a little shier than the nose, and just a touch astringent before opening up with more honeyed notes and light grassiness.

Although my personal preference is for more heftiness and depth, this is what a classic Tomatin delivers – a lighter Highland style that still brings in more sherry richness than, say, a Glenlivet, and doesn’t overdo the sherry intensity, which could get quite dry. A respectable sipping dram for casual social occasions or for your boss who says he likes Scotch.

More importantly, its lightness makes it a good starter dram in a flight.

Tomatin 50 Years Old Single Malt – 125^th Anniversary bottling (detailed review here)

Next up is the Tomatin 50.

And holy smokes, the experience is a huge step-up. This is an incredibly well-structured whisky with a satisfying long finish and a beautiful, ever-evolving palate that balances red fruits, oak, and aromatic smoke.

The nose is complex, creamy, and flavour-packed, opening with a smooth tropical light funkiness, bright rum notes (continentally aged) of bananas, sweet ripe pineapples and Hawaiian yellow papaya.

The palate is clean, dense, and rich with vibrant red fruits – fresh plums, figs and apricots - that beautifully graduates into sweet aromatic dry oak and Grandpa’s box of cigars, finishing with light tea leaves and then finally a basic vanilla lightness.

This is one of the most complex, clean-tasting, and rich sherried whiskies I've ever had the pleasure of tasting. Just sublime.

I find myself still nosing and savouring this dram long after Scott and everyone have eagerly moved on to begin nosing the Shirakawa. There is a lot I can get out of this.

Shirakawa 1958 Single Malt (detailed review here)

Just as the anticipation in the room reaches its peak, someone shows up with a neat tray of Shirakawa single malt in a dozen nosing glasses.

The moment approaches and I find myself pondering. Would this rare and storied whisky live up to the hype? Have my expectations been raised to an unreasonable level? And, perhaps most importantly, would I be able to detect the nuances and subtleties that makes this dram so unique?

I could hardly contain my excitement, curiosity, and just a touch of fear that I might be let down by the hype – I lifted the cover of the glass.

This is very flavourful, highly textural and intriguing. I constantly encounter intriguing notes I haven’t quite experienced in any single malts, let alone Japanese.

The nose offers a mix of florals, tropical fruits, gentle incense and earthiness, and with some mild oxidation, unfolds into a cool mintiness with a touch of herbal notes, reminiscent of Snake Brand Prickly Heat Powder and Mopiko ointment (menthol and camphor). There is a very mellow touch of temple incense as well.

The palate is waxy, creamy, and quite oaky, with an unusual density and depth that most Japanese single malts don't possess. Opens with vanilla, oak and a touch of sandalwood incense smoke that grows into very obvious smoked lemon citrus notes – sweet orchard fruits and pepper emerging at the same time – before evolving into heavier heather smoke reminiscent of vintage Highland Park.

The finish is fairly mellow, honey-like, minty, and persists. Right at the back, there is truly recognisable retro-nasal olfaction (just my fancy way of saying smells emanating from the back palate) of fragrant pandan-wrapped coconut nasi lemak.

Tannins are kept to a minimum despite being quite an oaky whisky – a testament to the advantage of Mizunara aging.

This is the most memorable tasting I’ve done in a long time – not just because of the rarity of this whisky, but also its taste profile that has been so obviously and heavily influenced by Mizunara oak.

Much about Shirakawa Distillery and this liquid will never be known to us – who distilled it, what was the original plan for it, and how it ended up forgotten for over 60 years. But all of us who have tasted it are in agreement. In every likelihood, someone must have tasted this whisky sometime between 1980 and the late 1990s and felt it was very well-matured. This must be why the whisky was moved to a neutral vessel to halt further evolution.

As collectors and connoisseurs clamour to acquire a taste of this extraordinary vintage, the memory of Shirakawa Distillery is rekindled, shining a light on this almost-unknown distillery’s role in the early days of Japan's whisky industry. While Shirakawa Distillery may be long gone, the spirit of its whisky-making heritage lives on through the remarkable story of the Shirakawa 1958. 

Read our detailed review of the Shirakawa 1958 here.

To Purchase the Shirakawa 1958 

For Singapore collectors and investors seeking exclusivity, the Shirakawa 1958 is available for purchase through Quaich Bar's official retail store, or at whisky bars under the Quaich Bar group. This is expected to retail at S$38,000.

This is the rarest Japanese single malt ever bottled, and the only official expression to be released from the Shirakawa Distillery that no longer exists. The earliest vintage of Karuizawa ever bottled is from 1960, predated by the Shirakawa 1958. There is no known Japanese whisky from an earlier vintage.

For purchase in other international markets, refer to Tomatin Distillery’s official store.

To Purchase the Tomatin 50

Distilled in 1971, 100% matured in an Oloroso cask and bottled for Tomatin Distillery's 125th Anniversary, the Tomatin 50 represents not just the legacy of the Highlands distillery, but also offers a rare look into the early days of vintage Scotch whisky production.

As a whisky reviewer, I also say with no uncertainty that this is one of the most beautiful and complex sherried Scotches we've tasted.

For Singapore collectors and investors, this bottle is also available at whisky bars under the Quaich Bar group. This is expected to retail at S$28,080.

@CharsiuCharlie