NISHIHIRA'S
SONIC AGING
the Art of Shaping our Spirits to Music
At Nishihira, we believe in doing things differently, taking chances to do something new and inspiring.
Drawing on our deep musical roots, a bold idea was conceived to age our shochu by music genre. In other words, blast a dedicated genre of music into each barrel separately. Yes, we play reggae, hip hop, rock, house, Latin, and shima uta (a form of local folk music) to our liquor, and have created something phenomenal.
The vibrations, rhythm, and energy of the music interact with the alcohol inside differently. The result? Flavor profiles shaped not only by time and wood, but by sound itself.
Unlike conventional sonic aging—typically done in large warehouses with ambient classical music—our approach is intimate and intentional. Each genre brings out different nuances, adding character and depth that traditional aging methods simply can't replicate.
It’s more than just innovation. It’s a way of breathing new life into every bottle, life brimming with its own expression. A spirit raised on music.
*Orders shipped from mid-December 2025
With no established precedent, we aim to push the boundaries of traditional aging techniques—crafting exceptional products while deepening our understanding of the complex interplay between sound, chemistry, and flavor
A Deeper Dive
Sonic Aging merges art and science in a truly distinctive way.
While the use of sound waves to influence chemical processes is still an emerging field, the theory draws from well‑established scientific principles.
When sound travels through a medium—such as air or liquid—it creates vibrations that interact with molecules.
*Orders shipped from mid-December 2025
In the case of barrel‑aging shochu, these vibrations agitate the liquid inside, subtly accelerating chemical reactions like oxidation and the interaction between spirit and wood.
Moreover, music itself carries a spectrum of frequencies and intensities depending on the genre.
Shima uta, for instance, delivers sharp, vivid energy through high‑pitched falsetto and upper‑range frequencies.
By contrast, bass‑heavy genres like hip hop generate deeper, more mellow vibrations.
These sonic profiles influence how the molecules within the distillate respond to the barrel environment, ultimately shaping the aging process and the expression of liquor as it comes to life.
At Nishihira, every genre is carefully chosen to suit the character we want to bring out in the spirit. Reggae—with its laid‑back rhythms and warm basslines—can help create a smooth, mellow profile. Rock, with its dynamic range and driving beats, encourages a bolder, more robust expression.
*Orders shipped from mid-December 2025
By housing our barrels in a dedicated music room equipped with custom speakers—and playing distinct genres to each barrel individually—we expose our distillates to direct, genre‑specific musical influence. This method allows us to harness the unique character of each genre to guide how our spirits age and evolve in flavor.
Possibly the only distillery aging spirits in this way, we aim to push the boundaries of traditional maturation. Our ongoing work seeks not only to craft exceptional products, but to deepen our understanding of the intricate relationship between sound, chemistry, and flavor.
Interested in owning a barrel? Contact us below.
