Hayashi 18 Year Ryukyu Japanese Whisky
Hayashi 18 Year Ryukyu Japanese Whisky is an 18-year-old single-grain Japanese whisky bottled at 43% ABV (86 proof) in a 700mL bottle — a modern expression of Okinawa's 500-year-old awamori tradition. Made by Hayashi from 100% Japanese indica rice fermented with a rare strain of black koji and aged in white oak barrels for a full 18 years, it is a whisky with no caramel color added that bridges ancient Ryukyu distilling culture and refined Japanese whisky craft. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 43% ABV (86 proof)
- Size: 700mL
- Age: 18 years — aged in white oak barrels
- Mash: 100% Japanese indica rice, black koji fermentation; no caramel color added
- Origin: Okinawa, Japan (Ryukyu Islands)
The Modern Expression of an Ancient Spirit
Awamori — the indigenous spirit of the Ryukyu Islands — has been distilled in Okinawa for some 500 years using indica rice and black koji, and Hayashi carries that heritage forward with a contemporary distiller's touch. The whisky rests in barrels amid Okinawa's lush subtropical air, which accelerates and invigorates maturation, giving 18 years in white oak a depth that drinks older than the calendar suggests. The result is a single-grain whisky unlike any from Scotland or Kentucky: tropical, savory, and unmistakably Ryukyuan. Browse the Hayashi collection and explore more Japanese whisky at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The nose is bittersweet with the warm scents of harvest grains. On the palate, fresh orange notes balance a lingering woodiness, with spices and honey adding complexity throughout. The finish is well-rounded and long, enriched by woody nuances and a pleasant bittersweet quality.
How to Enjoy
Serve neat or with a single large cube to let the rice-grain character and wood spice unfold. A fine candidate for a highball — soda water lifts the orange and honey notes into something bright and sessionable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hayashi 18 Year Ryukyu whisky made from?
100% Japanese indica rice, fermented with a rare black koji strain and aged 18 years in white oak barrels — the same rice-and-koji base as Okinawa's traditional awamori spirit.
What is the ABV of Hayashi 18 Year?
43% ABV (86 proof), bottled in a 700mL format with no caramel color added.
Is Hayashi a Scotch-style whisky?
No — it is a single-grain whisky built on rice rather than barley, rooted in the 500-year-old distilling tradition of Okinawa's Ryukyu Islands.
Find Hayashi 18 Year Ryukyu Japanese Whisky at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA — 18 years of Okinawan rice-whisky tradition, available to order online.