Eigashima Shuzo

Eigashima Distillery is located just a rock’s skip away from Kobe Bay, and the ocean-laden air is reflected in its savory, saline-driven whisky. The origin of the town of Akashi, translated as the “Sun Rise City,” dates back over 500 years. Here, less than 100 yards from the Seto Inland Sea, the family behind Eigashima Shuzo has been making traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages, such as sake, for over three centuries. Eigashima Shuzo holds Japan’s first whisky license, issued in 1919, but serious malt production at their White Oak facility—renamed Eigashima Distillery in 2019— did not begin until 1984, when copper pot stills were put into action and a focus on premium whisky began. Following a program dedicated to crafting a refined and elegant spirit, the distillery team remains small, and production is limited to ensure that quality is preeminent, making Eigashima’s Akashi one of the most respected labels in Japanese whisky today.