Shinobu 10 Years Old Pure Malt Whisky Lightly Peated Mizunara Oak Finish
Shinobu 10 Years Old Pure Malt is a lightly peated Japanese blended malt, matured a full decade in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogshead casks and finished for several months in rare Japanese Mizunara oak. Bottled at 43% ABV in a 750mL bottle, it pairs honeyed malt and fresh citrus with the incense-like spice of Mizunara and a gentle wisp of peat smoke. Available to order online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 43% (86 proof)
- Size: 750mL (per Del Mesa listing — all online sources list 700mL; label read pending)
- Age: 10 years minimum in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogsheads, plus a Mizunara oak finish
- Peat: lightly peated — subtle seaweed and smoke notes
- Origin: Shinobu Distillery, Niigata, Japan; master blender Usami Ken; un-chillfiltered, no added color
Ten Years, Then Mizunara
Shinobu Distillery sits on Japan's coastal Niigata region — land of the "Three White Treasures": snow, rice, and sake — and was founded by master blender Usami Ken, renowned for his sake-brewing and distilling expertise, with the whisky production license arriving in 2017. In Japanese usage, "pure malt" means a blended malt: single malts from various distilleries, blended to the master blender's vision. Mizunara oak is precious and notoriously hard to craft into barrels, but it repays the trouble with incense-like spice, sandalwood, coconut, and vanilla. Shinobu — Japanese for "forbearance," the distiller's virtue — earned Silver at the 2022 International Wine & Spirit Competition for this expression. Browse more Shinobu or the store's whisky collection.
Tasting Notes
Honeyed malt and fresh citrus up front, then the Mizunara finish asserts itself — oriental incense, clove, and sandalwood spice. The light peat adds seaweed and gentle smoke, and the finish is medium and elegant: sweet oak with a clean wisp of smoke.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a tulip glass to catch the Mizunara aromatics, or with a splash of water to open the incense and clove notes. The 43% ABV keeps it smooth enough for a slow evening pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "pure malt" mean on Shinobu whisky?In Japanese usage it means blended malt — single-malt whiskies from various distilleries, blended by master blender Usami Ken to define the distillery's flavor profile.
How is the Shinobu 10 Year Old aged?A minimum of 10 years in ex-sherry and ex-bourbon hogshead casks, then finished for several months in rare Mizunara Japanese oak casks.
Is Shinobu 10 Year Old peated?This expression is lightly peated — subtle peat adding seaweed and smoke notes alongside the Mizunara incense-and-spice character, at 43% ABV.
Decade-aged, Mizunara-finished, gently peated — order Shinobu 10 Year Old online at Del Mesa Liquor.