Kojiki Japanese Whisky
Kojiki Japanese Whisky is a 40% ABV (80 proof) Japanese whisky in a 750mL bottle — distilled at the Kojiki Distillery on the shores of Lake Biwa near Kyoto, aged 3 years in bourbon barrels, then finished 3 months in Sauternes casks and 4 months in Champagne casks, available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: 3 years bourbon barrels; 3 months Sauternes casks; 4 months Champagne casks — no age statement
- Mash: 40% barley (a portion peated), 30% wheat, 30% corn — all distilled at Kojiki
- Distillation: twice distilled in traditional pot stills; ~400 barrels/year artisanal production
- Origin: Kojiki Distillery, Kansai region near Kyoto, Lake Biwa, Japan
- Name: 'Kojiki' = 'Records of Ancient Matters,' Japan's oldest chronicle (8th century)
Kyoto's Small-Batch Answer
While Japan's whisky giants chase scale, Kojiki works at 400 barrels a year on the shores of Lake Biwa — Japan's ancient freshwater lake, in the Kansai region near Kyoto. Everything is distilled in-house in traditional pot stills from a three-grain mash (barley, wheat, corn, with a whisper of peat), aged three years in bourbon wood, then given a double wine-cask finish: Sauternes for honeyed depth, Champagne casks for lift and finesse. Shop our Japanese whisky shelf, browse the Kojiki range, or compare world whiskies beyond Scotland and Kentucky.
Tasting Notes
Pale gold. The brand's own notes promise wheat bread, orange peel, white peach, and cotton candy — and the cask story backs it up: bourbon-wood vanilla and grain sweetness, Sauternes honey and stone fruit, and a bright, almost floral lift from the Champagne-cask finish. Soft, approachable, and gently complex.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a splash of water to open the wine-cask layers. The delicate profile also suits a highball — soda, ice, lemon peel — the way Japan drinks its whisky. Too subtle for heavy cocktails; let it speak.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kojiki whisky made?
At the Kojiki Distillery near Kyoto, on the shores of Lake Biwa in Japan's Kansai region — an artisanal operation producing about 400 barrels a year.
Is Kojiki whisky peated?
Only lightly — a small portion of the barley is peated; the overall profile is unpeated and delicate.
What does Kojiki taste like?
Soft and wine-influenced: wheat bread, orange peel, white peach, and cotton candy per the brand, with honey from the Sauternes finish.
Is Kojiki a Scotch?
No — it's a Japanese whisky, distilled and aged in Japan. (The store's old 'Scotch Whisky' tag was an error.)
Discover Japan's craft side — buy Kojiki Japanese Whisky online today at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.