Nagahama / Amahagan
Nagahama & Amahagan Whisky – Artisanal Perfection from Japan's Smallest Distillery
The Nagahama distillery gives the term "micro-distillery" a whole new meaning. It is the only distillery in Japan where visitors can sit right next to the stills, dine, and taste the freshly distilled spirit. Amidst a charming restaurant atmosphere, Nagahama produces whiskies with exceptional character and meticulous attention to detail.
Technically, the distillery relies on very special equipment: It uses copper Hoga alembic stills from Portugal , which, due to their small size, are ideal for producing very small batches in a micro-distillery. The fermentation tanks are located on the second floor of the building, saving space and emphasizing the vertical and compact character of this unique production facility.
Nagahama uses a blend of unpeated barley from Germany and peated malt from Scotland to produce their whiskies. The team continuously experiments with the process, varying fermentation temperatures, for example, and even plans to use their own brewing yeasts in the future.
Before their first batch of whisky reached the required three-year maturation period, Nagahama turned necessity into a virtue: they bottled their "new make spirit" directly – a tribute to the time hundreds of years ago when whisky was still drunk unaged. This young spirit is characterized by fruity menthol notes and is often served in style as a highball with a hint of yuzu citrus in their in-house restaurant.
With the Amahagan series (Nagahama spelled backwards), the distillery has also created an internationally acclaimed "World Malt" range that perfectly combines craftsmanship and a spirit of experimentation.
