Shirakawa 1958 Vintage

This incredibly rare and limited release single malt, is believed to be the earliest known single vintage Japanese whisky ever bottled. The story behind this 1958 vintage is truly remarkable and is rooted in Scotland. When the whisky was distilled in 1958 it was initially held in wooden casks, the type of wood and for how long they were used is unknown. At some point the whisky would've been transferred to ceramic pots of a type that commonly age Shochu, until finally been moved to stainless steel tanks. When the distillery was mothballed it is thought that the remaining whisky stocks were transferred Shuzo's Takanabe factory (now Kurokabegura) and held in stainless steel tanks where it was slowly forgotten about. Fast forward many years until Stephen Bremner, Managing Director Of Tomatin became interested in the parent company, Takara Shuzo's history of whisky production. After a protracted search and speaking to many staff in Japan, the tanks were uncovered, the whisky sampled and the resulting whisky was bottled for this release. It is a Non-age Statement whisky due to the manner in which it was matured and the fragmented information available of its history.