‘World’s first’ awamori-finished rye whiskey launches

US-based independent bottler World Whisky Society (WWS) has released the 'world's first' rye whiskey finished in Japanese awamori casks.

The 12-year-old Indiana rye whiskey was initially aged in American oak barrels and finished in awamori casks from Okinawa. The rare cask finish results in notes of 'spicy and earthy rye combined with the mellow sweetness of the awamori cask, resulting in a whiskey of remarkable complexity and depth, offering a distinctive and memorable flavour profile.' Awamori, described as the oldest distilled alcoholic drink in Japan, is native to Okinawa island and is believed to be the predecessor of shochu. It is made using long-grain Indica rice and is traditionally stored in clay pots, with only a small proportion matured in Japanese oak casks. The technique for making the spirit has remained unchanged for more than 500 years. Released under the company's Reserve Collection, the rye whiskey is made with a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. "We're constantly seeking new ways to experiment with finishes, so when the opportunity to obtain rare ex-awamori casks presented itself, we seized it and pushed our limits," said Alex Kogan, CEO of WWS. "This marks the first time rye whiskey has been finished in these exceptional casks, proving that embracing innovation can lead to valuable insights and remarkable discoveries." WWS Indiana Rye 12-year-old Awamori Finish is now available on the company's website and at selected retailers in the US for US$169. Limited to 356 bottles, the whiskey is offered at 48% ABV. WWS was established in 2020 and bottles whiskies worldwide. Last year, Glenfiddich released an expression, Grand Yozakura, finished in awamori casks.