Nagahama

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3-4 years

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Mizunara Oak, Islay Quarter Casks, Bourbon Casks, Koval Casks

Size: 500 ml

Nagahama Distillery has been operating since 2016. During this time, Nagahama has developed its World Blended series, "Amahagan," while also releasing single cask blends. After accumulating considerable experience, they launched their first Single Malt, "The First Batch," in 2022. The subsequent "The Second Batch," with its peaty style, was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, demonstrating that Nagahama has finally found its own path.

"The Third Batch" uses Mizunara oak, Islay quarter casks, bourbon casks, and Koval whisky casks. The spirits used are aged for 3-4 years and then bottled at 50% ABV. 

Nose: Smoky scent wafts from afar. The first aroma is a fresh malt scent. A deeper sniff reveals notes of raisins, dried apricots, and persimmons, mingled with hints of chocolate cookie, complemented by a moderate smokiness – quite pleasant! Palate: the beer is robust and smooth, with honey sweetness and malt notes intertwined, creating a pleasantly sweet and comforting flavor. Finish: The mid-to-late stages reveal peaty and smoky notes that linger on the palate. 

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3-4 years

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Islay Quarter Cask, Bourbon from KOVAL Distillery, Oloroso Sherry Hogshead

Size: 500 ml

Nagahama released its first Single Malt, The First Batch, in 2022, followed by Second and Third batches. Entering 2024-2025, the series shows signs of accelerating, with this Fifth Batch released only about six months after the previous "Batch". This release is  approximately 3,000 bottles. 

Nagahama The Fifth Batch was distilled in 2020, aged for 2 years and 8 months in Islay Quarter Cask and the KOVAL distillery Casks of the US, and then further matured for 1 year in  Oloroso Sherry Hogshead.

Nose: Fruity notes of fresh orange and white peach, accompanied by the sweetness of apricot candy. Palate: The mid-palate unfolds with a warm sweetness reminiscent of honey cake and maple pancakes. Smooth with spicy notes of nutmeg and clove. Finish: Dry, elegant tannin from the sherry casks, lingering long after the first sip.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3-4 years

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Islay Quarter Cask, Bourbon Cask, Mizunara Oak

Size: 500 ml

The sixth batch of Single Malt whisky from Nagahama Distillery features a base of Mizunara oak-aged spirits. Besides showcasing the unique oriental character of Mizunara oak, it also emphasizes the balance between the woody aromas and other flavors.

Nagahama used two distinctly different Mizunara oak cask spirits in the blend:

-First Fill Mizunara oak spirit distilled in 2020, exhibiting strong woody and spicy aromas.
-Second Fill Mizunara oak spirit distilled in the same year, contributing fruity aromas of fresh orange and white peach.

To enrich the flavor profile, Nagahama also added spirits matured in bourbon and Islay Quarter Casks, giving the whisky a touch of sweet tartness and a subtle smokiness. A total of 3,968 bottles were bottled.

Nose:  Woody aroma of Japanese furniture, complemented by the tartness of citrus, the sweetness of toffee, and a light smoky note – quite pleasant. Palate: Medium-bodied, with fruity notes and a sweet-bitter caramel flavor behind the smokiness. Finish: Long smoky woody finish.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3-4 years

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Bourbon Cask, Red Wine Cask, Sauternes Cask, Islay Quarter Cask,

Size: 500 ml

The seventh batch of Single Malt whisky is a release of 4000 bottles from Nagahama Distillery features spirits distilled between 2019 and 2022 and vatted across different casks. At its core are Red Wine Casks and Sauternes Casks complemented by Bourbon barrels that give additional depth and heavily peated Islay quarter casks which provide a bit of an edge.

An aroma of ripe berries, honey and apricot notes, while the palate delivers a velvety mouthfeel of stewed fruits and chocolate layered with a hint of white pepper and smoke.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3-4 years

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Amburana, Yamazakura, Bourbon Barrel, KOVAL

Size: 500 ml

The eighth batch of Single Malt whisky is a release of 4000 bottles from Nagahama Distillery features spirits distilled between 2020 and 2022 and vatted across different casks. This time around, the distillery combines Japanese Sakura casks and Brazilian Amburana casks for aging its whisky.

This whisky is a blend of (1) spirit distilled in 2021 which has been aged in KOVAL casks followed by an additional 2 years in rare Brazilian Amburana casks and (2) spirit distilled in 2022 and aged for about 4 years in Japanese Sakura casks.

Gentle aromas of Sakuramochi are enhanced by the exotic, spicy character of Amburana casks.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama (Japan) x ARMORIK (France)

Age: NAS

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Crème Brûlée

Size: 500 ml

Nagahama Distillery in Japan and ARMORIK in France collaborated, ARMORIK provided a non-peated whisky made from organic barley, while Nagahama contributed several casks of peated whisky. Using the same whiskies, Nagahama's Master Blender, Yusuke Yaku, and ARMORIK's brand ambassador, Paul Klock, each blended their whiskies in different proportions to create distinctly different flavors. Both blends are limited to 1000 bottles each. This is the ARMORIK version of the Blend. The Nagahama version of the blend can be found HERE

Nose: Fresh, tangy citrus scent. Palate: Medium-bodied, with a light sweetness of cream and custard on the palate. After a short while, the flavors abruptly cease. Finish: gentle resurgence of French custard, caramel sweetness, and a subtle peatiness – an elegant touch. 

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama (Japan) & Armorik (France)

Age: NAS

ABV: 50% 

Cask: Mizunara Cask

Size: 500 ml

This Whisky is a collaboration between Nagahama Distillery in Japan and ARMORIK in France, whereby ARMORIK provided a non-peated whisky made from organic barley, while Nagahama contributed several casks of peated whisky. Using the same whiskies, Nagahama's Master Blender, Yusuke Yaku, and ARMORIK's brand ambassador, Paul Klock, each blended their whiskies in different proportions to create distinctly different flavors catering to their palate. Both blends are limited to 1000 bottles each. This is the Japanese Style version by Nagahama's Master Blender.  The ARMORIK version can be found HERE.

Nose:  Sweet blend of citrus and oak, reminiscent of tanko (Japanese incense). Palate: Sweet blend of wood and saffron, with a very noticeable influence from the Mizunara oak, somewhat like the feel of Japanese furniture. Finish: Woody aroma, accompanied by peaty notes, continues into the long finish.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3 years (Distilled 8 April 2022, Bottled 25 November 2025)

ABV: 55.9% 

Cask: Coffee Bourbon Cask

Size: 500 ml

Nagahama Distillery’s Fragrant Collaboration series features the Coffee Cask expression, created with Bankoku Coffee, a long-established roaster from Yamagata. The coffee character comes from second maturation in bourbon casks that previously held premium coffee beans, resulting in a rich, intense aroma reminiscent of dark-roasted coffee beans. It is bottled at cask strength, with only 376 bottles released.

Tasting note: Aroma: Dominated by a powerful scent of roasted coffee, followed closely by Nagahama’s delicate peat smoke with hints of caramel and bonfire-like char. Palate: Beyond the prominent coffee flavor, earthy peat notes reminiscent of soil and ash emerge. Smooth, with coffee, malt sweetness, and peat smoke forming a harmonious balance. Finish: Long with the lingering essence of smoke and roasted coffee.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 3 years (Distilled 1 September 2021), Bottled 28 November 2025)

ABV: 57.6% 

Cask: Coffee Bourbon Cask

Size: 500 ml

Nagahama Distillery’s Fragrant Collaboration series features the Coffee Cask expression, created in partnership with Bankoku Coffee, a long-established roaster from Yamagata. This bottling uses Nagahama’s non-peated malt as the base, with secondary maturation in bourbon casks that previously held aromatic coffee beans. It is bottled at cask strength, with only 334 bottles released. The first nose is said to evoke a creamy café latte.

Tasting Note: Aroma: Opens with notes of espresso and dark chocolate, followed by a fragrant wave of vanilla and caramel. Palate: Dominated by rich coffee flavors, closely followed by creamy sweetness, toffee, and a hint of maple syrup. Finish: Warm and lingering, with a touch of cacao and the classic sweetness of bourbon casks.

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama

Age: 4+ years (Distilled 7 Dec 2021, Bottled 16 April 2026)

ABV: 53.3% 

Cask: Pedro Ximenez Cask

Size: 500 ml

The Single Malt Nagahama PX Sherry Cask #1855 is a rare, single-cask Japanese whisky bottled exclusively for the media platform Whiskipedia. It has been fully matured for over 4 years in a PX Sherry cask delivering a very fruity palate with very noticeable esters in the aroma. 

Region: Japan

Distillery: Nagahama X World

Age: NAS

ABV: 47% 

Cask: Various casks

Size: 700 ml

Edition Peated is the Fifth whisky in the Nagahama Amahagan World Malt series and the first in the series to feature a smoky, peaty flavor. Edition Peated won a silver medal in the Best International Blended Malt category at the 2022 WWA, demonstrating its market recognition.

Since its opening in 2016, the Nagahama Distillery has faced challenges due to limited production, unable to meet market demand on its own. Therefore, Nagahama has been actively seeking collaborations with other distilleries to create blended whiskies, leading to rapid advancements in its blending techniques. This whisky is made by blending Nagahama malt whisky with smoky malt whiskies from other regions, followed by further maturation in bourbon casks, resulting in a more complex flavor profile.

Nose: Medium smoky aroma with hints of green apple, creating a pleasantly languid fragrance. Palate: the beer is light and airy, with a sweet grapefruit aroma and a surprising touch of acidity. Finish: followed by subtle hints of mint and ginna. 

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: 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: 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.