Okayama Single Malt Triple Cask
April 16, 2025
TL;DR: A delicate yet complex Japanese single malt aged in three types of oak—sherry, brandy, and mizunara—Okayama Triple Oak brings soft fruit, sandalwood spice, and gentle warmth. Elegant, floral, and slightly nutty, it’s a refined pour with a uniquely layered personality.
Produced by the Miyashita Sake Brewery in Okayama Prefecture, this single malt is a quiet standout in Japan’s new wave of whisky. The Triple Oak maturation—featuring sherry casks, brandy casks, and Japan’s own mizunara oak—adds depth and dimension without overwhelming the spirit’s natural grace. You’ll find whispers of dried fruit, toasted nuts, mint, and sweet grain, all woven together with a gentle floral lift. A whisky that leans into elegance over intensity, it’s a thoughtful sip for those who appreciate subtlety with structure.
Flavor Camp Taste Profile
Overall Review
- Overall Assessment: 90/100
- Distinctiveness: 10/10
- Bottle Appeal: 9/10
- Value for Price: 9.5/10
- Crushable / Daily Drinker
- Cocktail Worthy
- Special Occasion Sipper
- Weird & Wonderful
- Skip It
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Deep Amber
- Aroma: A whimsical swirl of aromas—ripe bananas, mint melties, and oxidized sherry fruits—sets the stage. Notes of chocolate-covered maraschino cherries, dried figs, and a touch of raspberry and strawberry compote follow, giving the nose both depth and confectionary charm.
- Taste & Mouthfeel: Luxuriously viscous with layers of coconut macaroons, sandalwood spices, cooling mint chocolate, and raspberry-filled truffles. There’s a fleeting wisp of tobacco smoke that adds intrigue. Each sip feels like reaching into a box of chocolates without a guide—surprising, playful, and deeply satisfying.
- Finish: Long, rich, and indulgent, with sweet oak and lingering fruit and spice that invite you back for another mysterious sip.
- Distinctiveness: This whisky doesn’t play by familiar rules. With its candy-box complexity and unexpected flavor turns, it’s truly one-of-a-kind—a bold, eccentric gem in the Japanese whisky scene.
- Overall Drinkability & Balance: Okayama Triple Oak strikes a remarkable balance between playful complexity and polished elegance. Its layered sweetness, silky texture, and ever-evolving palate make it a joy to sip—whether you're savoring slowly or exploring its surprises glass by glass. While bold in personality, it’s beautifully integrated, with no single element overwhelming the others. A decadent, well-structured pour that’s easy to love but still full of mystery.
Product Details
- Distiller: Suntory Group (Chita, Yamazaki & Hakushu)
- Type: Blended Japanese Whisky
- Age: NAS
- Still Type: Pot and Column
- Cask Type(s): American and Spanish Oak
- Origin: Japan
- Composition: Malt and Grain Whisky
- ABV: 43%
- # of Distillations: Not disclosed
- Price: $125 - $185 (CAD)
Comments / Notes:
Made for the Highball – Its crisp, citrusy character was built to pair perfectly with soda water.
Multi-Distillery Blend – Combines grain from Chita and malt from Hakushu and Yamazaki for a balanced profile.
Accessible & Approachable – A great entry point into Japanese whisky and an easy crowd-pleaser for any occasion.
Food Pairing Recommendations:
Grilled scallops with yuzu butter – echoes the whisky’s citrus and floral notes
Prosciutto and melon – sweet and savory play well with its delicate sweetness
Japanese cheesecake – a creamy, airy match for its smooth and soft finish
Cocktail Recommendations: Drink neat or with one rock or try one of our signature cocktails, the “Wealthy Wanderer” which is a play on the Drifter cocktail:
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Hibiki Harmony
0.75 oz Dry Vermouth
0.5 oz Amaro Nonino
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Garnish: Grapefruit Twist
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Strain into a glass with 1 or 2 large cubes. Garnish with grapefruit oils.
