Hakushu’s forest character, layered with the sweetness and gentle bitterness of Spanish oak.

The Hakushu Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION is a travel-retail-exclusive single malt created for duty-free sales in Japan.

Its defining feature is the use of Hakushu malt whiskies matured exclusively in Spanish oak casks. The result adds sweetness and gentle bitterness to the refreshingly soft palate associated with Hakushu.

A Hakushu created for Japanese travel retail

Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION is distributed through duty-free and travel-retail channels in Japan, rather than as part of Hakushu’s regular domestic range.

Where standard Hakushu emphasises fresh green notes and a lightly smoky, crisp profile, this edition moves further toward Spanish-oak sweetness, mature wood and a gently bitter finish.

A blend built only from Spanish-oak-matured Hakushu malts

The core of this whisky is Hakushu malt matured in Spanish oak casks.

Standard Hakushu expressions bring together several styles of malt to create a fresh and agile house profile.

Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION instead narrows the focus to Spanish-oak-matured components, revealing a darker and richer side of the distillery.

Dried-fruit richness, cacao-like depth and rounded sweetness sit on top of the soft, fresh Hakushu character.

Why “BITTERSWEET”?

The name BITTERSWEET directly describes the intended flavour direction.

This is neither simply sweet nor simply bitter.

Manuka-honey and orange-marmalade-like sweetness is joined by cacao and dark-chocolate depth, before an espresso-like bitterness appears in the finish.

The effect is deeper and more autumnal than standard Hakushu, while still retaining the freshness associated with the distillery.

Still unmistakably Hakushu

Despite the stronger influence of Spanish oak, the whisky never loses the lighter framework of Hakushu.

Hakushu Distillery sits in the forests of the Japanese Southern Alps, where mountain water and a cool natural environment help shape a fresh, soft style of malt whisky.

Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION keeps that lightness beneath the richer cask character, finishing with a sense of freshness rather than weight.

A limited design inspired by the forest harvest

The packaging was also created specifically for this release.

The design uses leaves collected in the Hakushu forest as its motif, expressing the season of harvest and the deeper colours of the forest.

It extends the familiar Hakushu image of nature into a more mature and autumnal visual language.

700ml at 43% ABV

The whisky is bottled at 700ml and 43% ABV.

It carries no age statement, but its identity comes from cask selection rather than age alone.

Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION is therefore useful as a comparison point for understanding how much the character of Hakushu can change through a different focus on oak.

Gold at ISC 2025

The Hakushu Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION received a Gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge 2025.

Although created as a travel-retail exclusive, it has also been recognised internationally as a distinct expression of Hakushu.

More expressions of Hakushu

For other limited and long-aged Hakushu releases, IMAMI also introduces Hakushu 18 Year Old LIMITED EDITION and Hakushu 25 Year Old.

Together they show how the distillery’s character changes not only with age, but also through cask selection and blending direction.

The Hakushu Japanese Forest BITTERSWEET EDITION

Japan | Yamanashi | Hakushu Distillery | Single Malt Japanese Whisky | Spanish-oak-matured Hakushu malt only | 700ml | 43% ABV | Japan travel-retail exclusive

Hakushu freshness and softness are layered with Spanish-oak sweetness, cacao, dried fruit and a gently bitter finish. It is a travel-retail expression that reveals a darker, more autumnal side of Suntory’s “forest distillery.”

Available at IMAMI

IMAMI is a specialist retailer offering current releases, travel-retail exclusives and long-aged Japanese whisky. For product availability, please enquire at IMAMI Ginza, IMAMI Shinsaibashi, or contact us.

As this is a limited travel-retail release, availability changes frequently.