Shinobu Blended Whisky Mizunara Oak
Shinobu Blended Whisky Mizunara Oak is the entry expression from Shinobu Distillery in Niigata, Japan — 43% ABV (86 proof), 750mL, a no-age-statement blend of 50% malt and 50% grain whisky selected from multiple distilleries, rested in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks and finished in Japanese Mizunara oak, 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)
- Blend: 50% malt whisky, 50% grain whisky, no age statement
- Casks: Ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks, finished in Japanese Mizunara oak
- Filtration: Non-chill filtered, no added colour
- Origin: Blended and finished in Niigata, Japan (Shinobu Distillery, master blender Ken Usami)
- Awards: Gold, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019; Silver 90 pts, IWSC 2021
Forbearance, Finished in Mizunara
"Shinobu" means forbearance — endurance, framed as a samurai virtue — and the house that carries the name works patiently: founder and master blender Ken Usami, who built Niigata Beer some twenty years before turning to whisky, selects malt and grain whiskies from distilleries around the world, marries them in sherry and bourbon wood, and gives them their final character in Mizunara, the rare, slow-growing Japanese oak in use since the 1930s. The blended whisky is where that system starts. Pour it from our Japanese whisky shelf, or compare the pure malts on the Shinobu vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Butter and coconut candy with mint, grass and wood (producer notes). Palate: Smooth and slightly oily, with an incense-like note, butter and vanilla. Finish: Sandalwood and vanilla. Ultimate Spirits Challenge tasters (2019) added roasted nuts, jellied pear and honeysuckle, then black pepper, clove, ripe citrus and baked apple.
How to Enjoy
Neat or in a proper highball — the Japanese serve suits this blend best: a tall glass, clear ice, soda, and the Mizunara sandalwood carrying through the bubbles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shinobu Blended a single-distillery whisky? No — it is a blend of malt and grain whiskies selected from multiple distilleries, rested in sherry and bourbon casks and finished in Mizunara oak in Niigata, Japan.
What is Mizunara oak? A rare Japanese oak, slow-growing and difficult to cooper, used for whisky finishing in Japan since the 1930s; it is known for sandalwood, incense and spice character.
How does it differ from the Shinobu Pure Malt? This blend is half grain whisky and the lightest of the trio; the Pure Malt is 100% malted barley and fuller-bodied. Both are 43% and Mizunara-finished.
The Mizunara-finished starting point — order Shinobu Blended Whisky Mizunara Oak online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.