New to the Hong Kong spirits scene, Onikishi is a modern, bold interpretation of Japanese whisky culture.
There are whiskies you can keep in a vault, trade as NFTs and brag about at secret collector meetings. And then there are whiskies that you can crack open and enjoy with the lads, safe in the knowledge that expeirence itself can also be a sound investment. Onikishi, which has recently become available in Hong Kong, is proudly the latter.
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Distributed by Milestone Beverages, this Japanese blended whisky – named for the Japanese Demon Knight – is produced in Taka-cho, Taka-gun, Hyogo Prefecture, close to the geographic centre of Japan and the birthplace of the best sake rice, Yamada Nishiki. The idea behind the brand is to combine Japanese anime culture with an affordable, less serious approach to Japanese whisky, and the result is a throughly contemporary dram.
Japan evokes sharp contrasts – pioneers of cutting edge technology yet guardians of ancient traditions, elaborate anthologies of folklore met by modern practicality and a disciplined work ethic against its whimsical storytelling expertise – and Onikishi echoes and honours these contrasts with its traditional look and feel of Japanese sake and whisky, but twists it with a bold Anime style and provocative graphics.
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So what to expect from the new arrival on the Hong Kong whisky scene? How about touches of American white oak soothes by honey tones and hints of citrus on the nose, followed by plenty of honey and vanilla on the palate, which in turn gives way to warm smokey cedar and a touch of yuzu on the finish. Sip is solo or use it in your favourite classic whisky cocktails.
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