Whisky from Japan

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama & World

Age: NAS

ABV: 57% 

Cask: PX sherry cask, sherry cask

Size: 700 ml

This limited-edition whisky, themed "The Ultimate Whisky That Perfectly Pairs with Cigars," is a collaboration between Nagahama and COHIBA ATMOSPHERE TOKYO, a premium cigar bar in Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo. During development, the blend was tasted with various Dominican cigars to adjust the recipe. The final design features a fruity, vibrant spirit as its core, blended with Nagahama Distillery PX sherry cask/ Oloroso sherry cask spirit with 50ppm peat.

Nose: Rich and layered, with notes of brown sugar, honey toast, nuts, and a touch of fruit acidity, all enveloped in a gentle smokiness. Palate: Bursting with fresh fruitiness from green apple and pear, transitioning into a smooth, sweet maple waffle-like finish. Finish: balanced interplay of tannins and peat from the sherry casks, resulting in a long and elegant finish.

Region: Kagoshima, Japan

Distillery: Kanosuke Distillery

Age: NAS

ABV: 59% 

Cask: re-charred ex-shochu casks, ex-sherry casks, rum cask

Size: 700 ml

Color: Bright amber. Aroma: Dried apricot, Plum jam, Canelé, Custard cream, Japanese cinnamon. Palate: Ripe pear, Grated apple, White peach, Raisin, Ginger, Crème brûlée. Finish: Salted caramel, Gentle aftertaste of lingering oak. (Tasting Note from Distillery)

Region: Japan

Distillery: Yamazaki & Hakushu & Chita

Age: 17 Years

ABV: 43%

Cask: Various

Size: 700 ml

The Hibiki 17 Year Old Japanese Whisky received the Gold Award at the International Spirits Challenge 2016. It also won the World Whiskies Award for Best Blended Japanese Whisky in the 13 to 20 years category.

The bottling with the glossy purple box packaging belongs to the older editions of this whisky, produced before Suntory discontinued this age-stated expression in 2018.

響17年，已停產。

Region: Japan

Distillery: Yoichi & Miyagikyo

Age: 21 Years

ABV: 43%

Cask: various

Size: 700 ml

Nikka Taketsuru 21 Years Old Pure Malt Whisky is a premium Japanese blended malt crafted by Nikka, blending malt whiskies from their two distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. Bottled at 43% ABV and aged for 21 years. 

This highly acclaimed and award-winning whisky — named after the father of Japanese whisky, Masataka Taketsuru — won the title of World’s Best Blended Malt Whisky at the 2010 World Whisky Awards.

Sadly, this expression has been discontinued as of 2020 and limited bottles remain available in the market.

Known for its rich complexity and balance, the whisky offers aromas of fresh fruits such as apples and apricots, alongside notes of toast, vanilla, and floral hints. The palate is layered with malt richness, subtle peatiness, and nuanced sweetness featuring flavors of nuts, caramel, ripe fruits, and spices. The finish is long and tender, with lingering notes of green menthol, mocha, honey, and gentle peat.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Mars Komagatake Distillery (Hombo Shuzo)

Age: NAS

ABV: 50%

Cask: Bourbon, Sherry and Wine 

Size: 700 ml

The “2024 Edition” is a limited release single malt whisky, bottled in 2024. It is crafted primarily from bourbon barrel-matured whisky and blended with a selection of original whiskies, including richly flavored sherry and wine cask maturations. Single Malt Komagatake is made at the Mars Komagatake Distillery, nestled at the base of the Komagatake mountain range in the Central Alps, an area renowned for its pristine nature and exceptional water quality.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Shinshu Mars

Age: Over 3 years

ABV: 45%

Cask: Bourbon barrels, Sherry casks, Port casks, Wine casks

Size: 700 ml

Introducing this new expression from Shinshu Mars, the much anticipated flagship of their Komagatake range produced at their Shinshu Mars distillery in Nagano. Crafted without chill filtration and aged across Bourbon barrels, Sherry casks, Port casks, and Wine casks, this whisky achieves balance and can be enjoyed by beginners and connoisseurs alike. On the nose, discover inviting aromas of apple tea and apricots. The palate presents a velvety texture with honeyed warmth, toasted almonds, and stone fruits. A gentle, lingering finish with subtle sweetness provides a nice end to this well crafted Japanese single malt.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Hombo Shuzo co., Ltd. 

Age: NAS

ABV: 43%

Cask: Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Port Wine 

Size: 700 ml

Mars Whisky “The Lucky Cat Double Individuals May & Hana” is the 10th release in the popular “Lucky Cat” blended whisky series by Hombo Shuzo. This limited edition celebrates the personalities of two cats from the distillery’s founder’s household, May (20 years old) and Hana (8 years old), symbolizing contrasting traits of calmness and playfulness.

Mr. Hombo shares: "May and Hana are the only two among our four cats who prefer staying indoors. May, in particular, limits her activities to about 5 meters, from the living room to the kitchen. While her eccentric personality has mellowed significantly, she remains an old cat with a childlike spirit. Hana loves being on my wife's bed and often stays there all day, her gentle nature unchanged. And when it comes to doting on my wife, they're neck and neck! The sweet flavors of this blended whisky, derived from PX Sherry and Port casks, bring to mind these two sweet and affectionate cats."

Nose: Raw caramel, milk chocolate, vanilla ice cream, raspberry, tangerine. Palate: Dried mandarin oranges, wine grapes, tannic bitterness, fruit gum. Finish: Oak-derived sweetness and peculiar bitterness linger with mild sweetness from grains.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama X World

Age: NAS

ABV: 47% 

Cask: Koval Cask

Size: 700 ml

Koval Distillery, founded in Chicago in 2008, using diverse grains such as rye, wheat, oat, millet etc. resulting in flavors distinctly different from traditional whiskies. To explore the impact of different casks on whisky flavor profiles, Nagahama Distillery acquired a batch of casks previously used by Koval for maturing their whiskies and named them "Koval Casks."  

The Amahagan World Malt Edition KOVAL is the original World Malt Whisky Edition 1 which has been further aged in Koval casks for 2 years and 3 months significantly enriching its flavor and complexity. 

Nose: Sweet and sour notes of tropical fruits like pineapple and mango, gradually revealing a cotton candy-like sweetness in the mid-to-late stages. Palate: Smooth with lively notes of pineapple, sweet grains, and green apple. Finish: Slightly dry with a hint of spiciness, and the finish is of medium length.

Ranked 95 points at the IWSC International Wine & Spirit Competition.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Sakurao Distillery

Age: NAS

ABV: 43%

Cask: Various casks

Size: 700 ml

Discover the Sakurao Single Malt Japanese Whisky, born from the Sakurao Distillery nestled in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima. This Whisky benefits from its remarkable terroir—where the Seto Inland Sea's gentle warmth meets the Chugoku Mountains, creating ideal conditions for maturation. The result is a whisky of wonderful depth: a dark amber pour that greets you with notes of raisins, citrus, and stone fruits. On the palate, creamy vanilla unfolds alongside subtle layers of bitterness and acidity, leading to a captivating finish of smoky oak and lingering sweetness. An expression of Japanese whisky craftsmanship.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Sakurao Distillery, Hiroshima

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Cask: Various cask

Size: 700 ml

Crafted by skilled blenders to highlight the distinct character of each whisky, Togouchi PREMIUM offers a harmonious blend. Starting with whisky aged in the Togouchi Tunnel, this journey of innovation has resulted in a refined expression of Japanese whisky.

The blend carefully combines malt and grain whiskies distilled and matured at Sakurao Distillery in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima—a region known for its unique natural environment. The proximity to the Seto Inland Sea and the Chugoku Mountains creates a distinctive maturation climate, where warm sea breezes and cool mountain air influence the whisky’s character.

Tasting Note: Nose: Nuts and fruit Palate: A sweet flavor of vanilla and milk chocolate with moderate acidity. Finish: Full-bodied sweetness with a woody aftertaste.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama & World

Age: NAS

ABV: 47% 

Cask: Finished in Red Wine Cask

Size: 700 ml

Nose: Raisins and berries from the red wine barrels blend perfectly with the unique malty sweetness of the Nagahama distilled wine. Palate: Refreshing orange peel aroma, adding a bright layer to the overall flavor. The natural sweetness of the grains slowly spreads in the mouth. Finish: Perfectly balanced bitterness that completes the complexion with greater balance and depth.

Awards:
Gold in the World Whiskies Awards 2020
Silver in The San Francisco World Spirits Competitions 2020
Silver in the World Whiskies Awards 2021

Region: Japan

Distillery: Sakurao Distillery, Hiroshima

Age: NAS

ABV: 40%

Cask: Various cask

Size: 700 ml

Togouchi Peated Cask Finish Japanese Blended Whisky is a blend crafted by Sakurao Distillery, combining single malt and single grain whiskies. It is firstly matured at the Sakurao Distillery and then further matured in a unique underground railway tunnel in the heart of Mount Osorakan, Hiroshima, offering ideal conditions for slow and even aging.

According to Togouchi, this whisky is aged in casks previously used for whisky with smoky aromas to create the distinctive flavor of Togouchi Peated Cask Finish. The result is a whisky with a unique smoky character and rich sweetness, as if it were gently smoked.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Kanosuke Distillery, Kagoshima

Age: NAS

ABV: 53%

Size: 700 ml

Color: Clear Amber Brown. Nose: Vanilla, Mint, Melon, Peach, Apricot, Lemongrass. Taste: Rich, Cinamon, Black Tea, Orange, Clove. Finish: Oaky, Rich fruit aroma, well balances with touch of bitterness (Tasting Note from Distillery)

A Silver award-winning on the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Asaka Distillery (Sasanokawa Shuzo)

Age: N/A

ABV: 50%

Cask: Bourbon barrel

Size: 700 ml

Yamazakura Single Malt Japanese Whisky Asaka 2024 Edition launched in May 2024, is a non-peated Asaka whisky aged in bourbon barrels which is the characteristic Asaka style. It has a refreshing and floral aroma paired with a clean sweetness, embodying the unique flavor profile of Asaka Distillery.

Nose: Notes of pongashi, honeyed lemon, and citrus Palate: Flavors of dried plum, lime, plum, and cider. Finish: An aftertaste reminiscent of sake, with lingering sweetness and a very subtle hint of smoke as the acidity fades.

The 2023 Edition of this series snagged a silver medal award in the 2024 Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition.

Region: Japan

ABV: 51%

Cask: New American white oak cask, bourbon cask

Size: 700ml

Maturation in new American white oak casks and bourbon barrels at the KANOSUKE distillery warehouse. A Gold medal awarded-winning in the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Color: Clear Amber Brown. Nose: Butter sand, Apricot, Plum, Citrus. Taste: Marmalade, Vanilla, Orange, Almond. Finish: Vanilla, Dry Ginger, Cinamon, Gentle sweetness. (Tasting Note from Distillery)

Region: Japan

Distillery: Yoichi & Miyagikyo

Age: NAS

ABV: 43%

Cask: Sherry and various

Size: 700 ml

Region: Japan

Distillery: Mars Tsunuki Distillery

Age: N/A

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Bourbon barrels

Size: 700 ml

Mars Tsunuki distillery is the second distillery of the Hombo Shuzo Group, launched in 2016. This is the 2023 release by the Mars Tsunuki Distillery in Kagoshima (where with a wide range of temperatures and blessed with high quality spring water from the Mt. Kurata mountain), with a release of 35,800 bottles. This is the 4th product release of single malt whisky distilled at Tsunuki (The Second Release of the Annual 'Year Edition').

Matured in the bourbon barrels for about 6 years. Nose: Marmalade jam along with sweet notes of honey, pancake, and a subtle smoke Palate: Citrus fruits, lemon peel and fresh malt Finish: Full-bodied sweetness balanced by a pleasant bitterness.