Mizunara Oak Wood Chips from Otaru — Cask Aroma in Everyday Glass

Looking into the amber of a whisky, you sometimes find yourself thinking of the cask. That deep, rounded aroma is born only when wood and spirit rest together over a long stretch of time. What if you could enjoy a little of it in an ordinary glass at home? Made in Otaru, these MIZUNARA oak wood chips do exactly that.

They are cut from mizunara oak grown in Hokkaido — a wood long prized in Japanese whisky making, said to carry a distinctive fragrance reminiscent of sandalwood and aloeswood. The timber is shaped into small chips, and the surface is finished with charring.

Using them could not be simpler. Drop a few chips into your glass or bottle and wait a little while. That alone brings out a mellow, cask-aged aroma and a rounder taste.

Whisky is the obvious partner, but they work beautifully with sake and coffee too. Your usual drink takes on a slightly different character. They make quiet company for a slow evening at home.

MIZUNARA oak wood chips are available at the Taisho Glass Sake Vessel Store in Otaru. If you are visiting the city, do stop by and see them for yourself.

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