World’s first’ ocean water whisky goes on sale

Japanese drinks maker Yoshino Spirits Co. has launched what it claims is the world’s first whisky to be made with desalinated ocean water and rested in pine barrels.

Called Umiki after the Japanese word for ocean (umi) and tree (ki), the whisky will go on sale in the US and Asia next month then will be rolled out in other global markets in May.

The malt whisky is made with filtered desalinated water from the Pacific Ocean and finished in Japanese pine barrels. In Japan, the evergreen pine tree is considered a symbol of life, and the ocean a giver of life.

According to Yoshino Spirits Co., Umiki is a whisky of “exceptional smoothness” with sea “breeze aromas, a rounded floral taste and a soothing freshness on the finish”. The whisky has already picked up a number of international awards.