Okayama Whisky: A Japanese Single Malt Whose Story Is Yet to Be Told
2026.10.05
In short: Okayama Whisky is made by Miyashita Shuzo, a sake brewery over 100 years old that began distilling whisky in 2015. I share my 2018 visit, and three Okayama single malts we stock: Triple Cask, the Kurashiki Whisky Forum 2024 bottle, and the Mizunara Expression “Hyakusei Fuma.”
Not many people may think of whisky when they hear “Okayama.”
But here, a sake brewery with 100 years of history
is beginning to leave a real mark on the world of Japanese single malt.
Its name is Miyashita Shuzo.
A long-established maker loved for years for its sake and shochu,
in 2015, marking its 100th anniversary, it installed German-made pot stills and steered into full-scale whisky distilling.
Meeting Miyashita Shuzo
I once visited Miyashita Shuzo on a Little Happiness distillery tour in 2018.
As luck would have it, the president himself showed us around,
and gave us a passionate explanation of the distilling equipment and production,
Okayama’s water and climate, and his vision for the future.
What struck me most was when he proudly said,
“We were the first to start making craft gin, you know.”
…That said, I later heard similar stories at several other distilleries,
so to be honest, I don’t know who was “really first” (lol).
Incidentally, in the craft gin world, “Ki No Bi from the Kyoto Distillery” is often spoken of as the pioneer.
I think each place had its own “beginning,” in its own way.
But the words I heard that day, in that place,
and the beauty of the pot stills before my eyes, I still remember vividly.
Perhaps a distillery’s character shows not in “who was first,” but in “how it began.”
🥃 The Stories Held in Each Label
At Little Happiness, we have three Okayama whiskies (as of October 2026).
Lined up together, each has a different expression; they are bottles that are fun just to look at.
◾️ Okayama Triple Cask
A limited single malt made from Okayama-grown malted barley, a vatting of whiskies aged three years or more in three types of cask: brandy, sherry and Mizunara.
It has earned high international acclaim, including Category Winner for No Age Statement Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards.
◾️ Okayama Kurashiki Whisky Forum 2024 Limited Bottle
A special bottle sold only at the Kurashiki Whisky Forum 2024.
True to Okayama, its striking label is inspired by the Momotaro folk tale, showing a warrior and his dogs standing beneath cherry blossoms.
Matured in bourbon casks for three years or more and limited to 315 bottles, it is rare, with a soft sweetness and a firm core.
◾️ Okayama Single Malt Mizunara Expression “Hyakusei Fuma”
“Hyakusei Fuma” means “not worn away even after a hundred generations,” in other words, enduring for a long time while keeping its value.
A bottle that blends Mizunara-cask-matured whisky into a base of bourbon-cask-matured whisky.
The sweetness of oak melts together with Mizunara’s melon, coconut and sandalwood,
and each flavour spreads out with clear definition.
*A bottle Little Happiness strongly recommends.
🍽 The Restaurant on Site Is Another Highlight
At the restaurant attached to Miyashita Shuzo, where we stopped during our visit,
you can enjoy “Doppo Beer,” made by Miyashita Shuzo, along with dishes using local ingredients.
On the way home, saying “Let’s come back again,”
I still remember the happy faces of our guests and the Little Happiness staff.
A Whisky That Bears the Name Okayama
At one point, Okayama Whisky suddenly became a hot topic.
It was sparked by news that Shohei Ohtani had chosen it as a gift for acquaintances.
It was widely covered by the media,
and many people probably thought, “If Ohtani chose it, it must be the real thing.”
But in fact, long before that,
this whisky had been carefully made here in Okayama.
The word “Okayama” on the label.
It is not just a place name, but something like the makers’ pride.
What does your “Okayama” taste like?
Please come and find out for yourself, glass in hand.
About these bottles
The three Okayama whiskies introduced in this article (Okayama Triple Cask / Okayama Kurashiki Whisky Forum 2024 Limited Bottle / Okayama Single Malt Mizunara Expression “Hyakusei Fuma”) are Japanese single malts made by Miyashita Shuzo. At Bar Little Happiness, you can enjoy them in the following two ways.
• Drink them at Bar Little Happiness (the owner, an expert in whisky and rum, introduces each glass in front of you)
• Take them home in small bottles (sold by measure) from the bar
This is popular with guests who are short on time, those who don’t drink much, and those who want to take a bottle home as a souvenir of their trip.
→ [Bar Little Happiness guide | A Hiroshima bar where you can compare single malts from Okayama’s Miyashita Shuzo]
Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.
[About the author]
Mika Tanimoto
CEO, Little.m Inc. / Owner-bartender
Since 2006, I have run Bar Little Happiness, a whisky and rum bar in Nagarekawa, Hiroshima. I visit distilleries in Japan and around the world and write about the people who make the spirits. Recipient of the Hiroshima City Excellent Skilled Worker Award.
“Whisky and rum taste even better when you know the hearts of the people who make them.”
[Visit the bar] 📍 Bar Little Happiness
Rolling Nagarekawa 1F, 5-14 Nagarekawa-cho, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
Mon–Sat 7:00 pm – 12:30 am / Sun 7:00 pm – 12:00 am (closed when I travel to visit distilleries)
No cover charge, no reservation needed
