Hatozaki Small Batch Whisky Review: The Art of Japanese Malt Whisky Blending
- Nick Anderson
- Nov 16, 2025
- 3 min read
Hatozaki small-batch whisky is one of the flagship products of the Kaikyō Distillery in Japan. It's notably not a Japanese whisky, given it seems to contain a Scotch malt whisky component, which is really interesting. When I look at a blend like this, I often consider it an opportunity for human skill to shine. In an era of maximizing distillery efficiency in order to extend profits, I find myself admiring those who are doing things in the low and slow methods of old.
The brand is founded and overseen by master distiller and blender Kimio Yonezawa, who put together this expression using five to six year old malts which were aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and mizunara oak casks. I previously reviewed their 12 year old Umeshu cask finish offering and was quite pleased with that pour. The brand describes their whisky as "round, generous, and unpeated."
As I mentioned earlier, this is not a Japanese whiskey. In 2021 the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association introduced new standards to define what could be labeled as Japanese whisky. Here are
Japanese whisky must:
Use only malted grains and water from Japan
Be malted, fermented, distilled, and aged in Japan
Be aged at least 3 years in wooden casks in Japan
Be bottled in Japan at a minimum ABV of 40%
The most interesting part of these regulations is the rules prohibiting misleading labeling, which is likely why this whisky is simply labeled as "whisky" and further described as a "product of Japan." Ready to find out if this whisky is worth sipping on? I'd like to thank the brand for the opportunity to review this whisky with no strings attached.
Company on Label: Produced and bottled by Kaikyo Distillery, Akashi Sake Brewery Ltd, 1-3 Okurahachiman-Cho, Akashi City, Hyogo 673-0871, Japan
Whiskey Type: Whisky (notably not listed as a Japanese whisky)
Mash Bill Percentages: 100% malted barley
Proof: 92°
Age: A blend of 5 to 6 year old barrels
MSRP: $70 (2025)
Buy Online: Frootbat
Further identification: This is a 2025 bottling of Hatozaki small batch whisky which is a blend of less than 20 casks
Nose: On first lifting the glass I find wonderful honey sweetness with a crisp, light texture. Some light bran flakes come through on long inhales. It's a bright whisky, one that feels like it would pair nicely with some warm summer sun. Subtle fruitiness builds with time in the glass; think fig, prune, pear, and apricot. As I pick through further, I find a lovely sugar cookie tone that reminds me of some of my favorite Irish whiskeys. Supporting undertones that I pick up on are a light florality, vanilla, and linen, likely from the ex-bourbon casks. Shy fruit tones continue well into the late part of the glass, and coming back after a sip only improves the volume on this one. The empty glass smells of honey butter and a hint of coastal sea.
Palate: On the first sip I find a crisp, clean, delicious malt; think Glenmorangie, Clynelish, or Ben Nevis here. The sugar cookie tones from the nose translate well to the palate before blooming into something more. I find buttercream frosting and sweet alyssum most impressionable on the tongue, while a touch of brine can be found in between the dominant notes. There's a light effervescence that reminds me of a dry brut, while a dainty bit of white pepper tries to embolden this impossibly ethereal pour. Everything about this glass is as light as a feather, which usually would be a knock coming from me, but this comes across as refined and elegant to my tongue. My last sip is just as clean as the rest of them with tea cake, buttered scone, and salt water Taffy finishes strong, and the finish carries on quite adequately with fried tempura lingering long.
TL;DR: A wonderfully light expression of crisp malt whisky built for easy sipping
Rating: 3.5/5
This is a whisky that could do more, but it doesn't have to. It's a malt that is well crafted and perfectly easy to sip. While three tastings confirmed that it doesn't scream into the heights of the top end of my rating scale, it still serves a spectacular purpose as a clean, crisp budget whisky that I think just about anyone could enjoy.
