Shinobu 10 Year Pure Malt Whisky
Shinobu 10 Year Pure Malt Whisky is the age-stated expression from Shinobu Distillery in Niigata, Japan — 43% ABV (86 proof), 750mL, a blend of 100% malted-barley whiskies aged more than ten years in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogsheads, then finished six months in Japanese Mizunara casks, non-chill filtered with no added colour. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 43% (86 proof)
- Size: 750mL (US bottling)
- Age: 10 years — more than a decade in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogsheads
- Finish: Six months in Japanese Mizunara casks
- Base: 100% malted barley (malt whiskies from multiple distilleries)
- Filtration: Non-chill filtered, no added colour
- Origin: Blended and finished in Niigata, Japan (Shinobu Distillery, master blender Ken Usami)
- Awards: Category Winner, World Whiskies Awards 2022 and 2020 (Blended Malt)
A Decade in Wood, Six Months in Mizunara
The 10 Year is where master blender Ken Usami's sourced-malt system shows its patience: malt whiskies selected from around the world, given more than ten years in sherry and bourbon hogsheads, and then a final six months in Mizunara — the rare Japanese oak that stamps the Shinobu range with sandalwood and spice. It is the same concept as the no-age-statement Pure Malt beside it, with the two things that bottling withholds: a verified age and a specified finish. Find it on our Japanese whisky shelf, or compare all three siblings on the Shinobu vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fresh oak, vanilla and floral, nectar-like notes (producer notes). Palate: Malt sweetness with citrus fruit tones, Mizunara oak and coffee beans. Finish: Medium and woody, returning to a sweet malt aftertaste.
How to Enjoy
Neat, with time in the glass — the Mizunara finish opens slowly. A single large cube or a few drops of water will stretch the coffee-and-citrus palate without thinning it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the lightly peated Shinobu 10 Year? No — this is the non-peated 10 Year Pure Malt. The Lightly Peated 10 Year is a separate bottling with a smokier profile; check the label for "Lightly Peated" when comparing.
How is it aged? More than ten years in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogsheads, followed by a six-month finish in Japanese Mizunara casks, per the producer's technical information.
Is it a single malt? It is a pure malt — a blend of malt whiskies from multiple distilleries, with no grain whisky — selected and finished in Niigata by Shinobu's master blender.
A decade down, Mizunara on top — order Shinobu 10 Year Pure Malt Whisky online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.