Akkeshi Ritto Japanese Single Malt Whisky 55%abv 15ml / 30ml

I'm not a big fan of Japanese whisky as I think the prices have gone a bit ridiculous. Also, there are some new Japanese distilleries that are awful and clearly looking for a fast buck trying to cash in on the popularity and scarcity of Japanese Whisky. However, there are also some exciting new distilleries making great whisky. Akkeshi is definitely one of the exciting ones and is located in a wild part of the northern island of Hokkaido in a pristine coastal area famous for oysters and scallops. Akkeshi Ritto is No.5 in the 24 Sekki Series, 'Ritto' is the season when winter begins and the first snows make their presence felt in the northern countries. This bottling is exclusively Akkeshi’s own malt, distilled from locally grown Hokkaido barley in 2018, then matured in Mizunara oak and ex-Pinot Noir casks.